Accra (Greater Accra) -- The Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama returned home on Friday from an ECOWAS leaders meeting on the implementation of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).
The meeting, which was at the invitation of the Canadian Prime Minister, Jean Chretien, brought together heads of governments from Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Benin and Nigeria. Briefing journalist at the airport, Alhaji Mahama said the Canadian Prime Minister, who is expected to chair the impending G8 Summit, brainstormed with the leaders on how best he could advocate Africa's case at the June Summit in his country.
The meeting, he said, discussed peace and security, good governance, agriculture, access to foreign markets. Foreign inflows into Africa and health issues were also discussed. Alhaji Mahama said Prime Minister Chretien assured the leaders that he would articulate Africa's concern at the Summit.
The leaders stressed the need for a peaceful and stable environment on the continent in order to attract the needed investments. Foreign Minister Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, who accompanied the Vice President said, Canada had made an initial contribution of 500 US dollars toward the implementation of the projects and programmes of NEPAD.
He underscored the need for Africa to ensure the success of NEPAD, which is its own initiative to alleviate poverty. The Canadian Prime Minister, Mr Owusu-Agyemang said, would undertake a fact-finding tour of the various sub-regional groupings on the continent before the Summit.
