A plan to help Africa get out of its economic and social mire will be the focus of the summit of the Group of Eight (G8) industrialised nations, a Canadian diplomat said last night.
Mr Robert Fowler, the personal representative of Canadian Prime Minister Mr Jean Chretien for the G8 summit, outlined Canada's hopes for new plans from the G8 for Africa.
Key to the debate was a discussion paper drawn up by African nations outlining their hopes to increase investment and trade and reduce poverty and disease.
Mr Fowler said other G8 leaders had agreed that next year's summit in the Rocky Mountain resort of Kananaskis should "see Africa take a prominent part" in the talks.
This was essential, he said, because Africa is the only continent where poverty is dramatically on the rise.
"In sub-Sahara Africa, more than 40 per cent of the population live on less than one dollar a day, life expectancy is the lowest in the world - and is actually declining from 50 years in 1990 to 47 years today," he said.
Canada has been pushing hard for debt-forgiveness for the poorest nations and for the industrialised countries to lower trade barriers against African exporters.
AFP