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Issue 18: July-August 2002

A seven-point action plan for Africa – developed by UN University following an international conference earlier this year – was considered by leaders of the G8 countries during last month's summit in Kananaskis, Canada, where African development was among the main items on the agenda.

The wide-ranging policy recommendations will also be submitted as input into the ongoing New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) and next year's Tokyo International Conference on African Development. The recommendations came out of the international conference – Integrating Africa: Regional Integration and Infrastructure Development in Africa – held at UNU Centre, Tokyo, on May 23 (Africa Day).

The conference identified seven key issues for action:

1. New approaches to debt relief including meaningful debt reduction and cancellation schemes.
2. Significant development assistance targeted at building infrastructure, promoting trade and investment and laying the foundations for sustainable development.
3. Greater commitment to aid effectiveness, ensuring local ownership of strategies and removing procurement restrictions.
4. Access to more and better education.
5. Greater participation in globalization through removal of barriers to African exports, particularly in key sectors such as agriculture and textiles.
6. More regional integration in both trade and infrastructure networks.
7. Massive infrastructure investments in water, sanitation, energy, transportation and communication.

Click here to download the summary document (PDF 85KB)

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