Nairobi — Africa must move fast to acquire a more positive identity, an official of New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad) said yesterday.

Dr Graca Machel, the chairperson of African Peer Review Mechanism, a Nepad organisation, said in Nairobi that the current identity of Africa as a continent of disease, poverty, corruption and illiteracy must end.

Dr Machel, the wife of former South African President Nelson Mandela, added: "We cannot afford to continue being referred to as a continent of poverty, illiteracy, disease and other negative attributes. We agree we are plagued by them, but who are we?"

She was addressing a meeting to launch APRM in Kenya at Kenyatta International Conference Centre, which was also addressed by Vice-President Moody Awori.

She told Africans to individually take up the challenges facing the continent instead of complaining all the time.

"Whereas we are free to criticise, let us also work for our development as individuals, nations and the continent."

Africa, she noted, had enough resources and energy to improve the welfare of its people, and harmonising the two resources was the only component required to see it rise to glory.

APRM is a self-assessment and monitoring system initiated by member countries of African Union to formulate policies that will lead to political stability, high and sustainable economic growth and greater regional and continental economic integration.

The AU and Nepad member states should assess their own successes and work to improve Africa.

Dr Machel urged the continent's governments, non-governmental organisations and civil society to demystify Nepad by explaining it to the public. Kenya is among states that have acceded to APRM, the others being Algeria, Bukina Faso, Cameroon, Congo, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa and Uganda.

Mr Awori said transparency, democracy and good governance were the major components of a developing nation. Corruption and other vices should be kicked out of Africa as the continent assessed itself, he added.

"We need a sober and realistic approach in order to appreciate our challenges and work towards eliminating them."

Mr Awori said that although industrialisation should be encouraged, Kenyans must first ensure food security. "We have enough capacity to produce enough food; let us get our priorities right," he stressed.

Planning minister Anyang' Nyong'o said that Africa, through Nepad and AU, was rekindling the 1940s nationalists' Pan-Africanism dream.