BuaNews (Tshwane)
Trevor Gozhi
8 March 2002
Pretoria — Deputy President Jacob Zuma has assured ambassadors to the Organisation of African Unity that the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) is not in competition with the OAU.
Mr Zuma was allaying fears by some delegates at the third African Development Forum conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, that the programme might be in competition with the African Union (AU) or a parallel process to the new AU.
The conference started on 3 March and ends today.
'NEPAD is a programme of the OAU and was adopted by heads of state of the OAU, so there can never be a question of it being in competition with the AU/OAU programme of action,' the deputy President said.
He said the fact that heads of state were hands on and actively driving NEPAD made the programme unique and effective enabling it to cut through the red tape.
'NEPAD will certainly enhance the work of the AU and should be supported by all on the continent, including civil society,' he said.
Earlier yesterday Mr Zuma had a discussion with Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.
The Deputy President will today address the plenary of the African Development Forum (ADF) and is scheduled to return to South Africa this evening.
The ADF is an initiative led by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa with the aim of, among others, establishing an Africa-driven development agenda.
The theme of the conference is 'Defining priorities for Regional Integration' and focuses on regional economic integration in the context of the commitment of African heads of state to found the African Union.(ADF3)
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