African Leaders in Nigeria for Summit Aimed at Overcoming Poverty

[Tsiyu]

African Leaders in Nigeria for Summit Aimed at Overcoming Poverty, Settling Conflicts

By Daniel Balint-Kurti Associated Press Writer
Published: Jan 30, 2005



ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) - Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo implored dozens of fellow African leaders Sunday to work together to overcome the poverty, disease and conflict afflicting the world's poorest continent.
War took center stage at the opening of the African Union's two-day conference, where leaders planned to discuss ways they could help end fighting in Ivory Coast, Congo and Sudan's western Darfur region.

"Let us show to the world that we can really tackle and solve African issues," said Obasanjo, who holds the group's rotating leadership.

While most of the world has grown wealthier in the four decades since the majority of African countries won independence, the continent mostly has grown poorer. Alpha Oumar Konare, chairman of the Ethiopia-based AU Commission, blamed Africa's persistent conflicts.

If the security of our continent doesn't improve, no development is possible," he told leaders of at least 40 of Africa's 53 nations.

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