Mills makes stop-over in Central African Republic

From Benjamin Mensah, GNA Special Correspondent, Kampala, Uganda

Kampala, July 25, GNA - President John Evans Atta Mills, on Saturday made a stop-over at Bangui, Central African Republic, en-route to Uganda, were he held talks with the leader, Francois Bozize.

President Mills is attending the 15th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union in Kampala, Uganda.

The meeting with Francios Bozize, which local journalists described as rare, is believed to be preparatory moves that could materialize into deepening bilateral ties between the two African nations and possible lead to the establishment of missions.

President Mills, who has since arrived in Kampala for the three-day summit,

in a media interview, reiterated increased combined efforts of the leaders of

Africa to find solutions to the problems the continent is facing.

"We Africans should get closer to one another. We need to talk to one

another with a view to finding solutions to our problems," President Mills said.

He repeated his message that the resources of the continent

should be used to improve the standard of living of the people.

According to President Mills, Africa had a lot of resources, but the major

problem was how to use the resources to raise the standard of living of the

people, pointing out that there could be no development if there were violence

and conflicts.

He therefore underlined the need for the practice of democracy which included good governance and the respect for human rights.

"We have enough resources we can tap to the benefit of our

People..We have to think less of ourselves and more of the people who voted us

into power," President Mills said.

He reiterated the need for African leaders to increase their collaborative

efforts to raise the standard of living of the people, so that they would

live in comfort and let others see Africa as land of progress.

"I'm confident that Africa will succeed," President Mills said.

Over 20 heads of state in Africa have so far arrived in Munyonyo, Kampala

for the three-day summit on the theme; "Maternal, Infant and Child Health, the

Development of Africa."

President Mills would make a presentation on the theme of the summit which also touches on human development, part of the Better Ghana agenda.

According to Mr Koku Anyidoho, Head of Communications at the Office of

the President, President Mills would push for Ghana's representation on the

African Human Rights Commission, which the President started at the just ended

ECOWAS Summit in Cape Verde.

President Mills will also meet and interact with the Ghanaian Community in

Uganda on the sidelines of the Summit.