France and ECA begin talks on African development and mutual cooperation

Addis Ababa 27 July 2007 - The Foreign Minister of France, Mr. Bernard Kouchner, today in Addis Ababa held broad discussions with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) on various African development issues, including good governance, trade, health and human rights.

During a visit to UN Under-Secretary General and Executive Secretary of ECA, Abdoulie Janneh, the Minister said he had come to exchange views and underscore France’s strong interest in helping Africa to meet its many development challenges.

Mr. Janneh briefed the minister on Africa’s current challenges, including the MDGs, integrating for development, benefiting from globalization and strengthening of institutions for governance and development.

He also informed the minister of certain recent ECA initiatives in Africa, relating to youth development, management of Africa’s natural resources, statistical development, aid for trade and governance, in particular, the establishment, in Dakar Senegal, of the African Governance Institute (AGI), an independent Pan African institute where debates on African governance would take place, knowledge would be shared and gaps addressed.

On the issue of natural resource, Mr. Janneh said that African ministers had dealt with the issues of better management of the continent’s natural resources earlier this year, at the Big Table, ECA’s flagship policy forum. He said the recommendations of the Big Table were presented for endorsement to African Heads of State during the last Summit of the African Union in Accra.

The foreign minister confirmed France’s continued support and interest in the activities of ECA.