ENA
10 June 2007
Addis Ababa — The Group of Eight (G8) countries and African leaders have agreed to renew their partnership towards speeding up Africa's development.
Prime Minister Meles returned home Saturday morning after attending the G8 Summit.
Members of the G8 countries after discussing with African heads of states in Heiligendamm, Germany, on African development and responsibility, confirmed their strong support to African in enabling them to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The G8 have agreed to renew their partnership in building peace, stability and ensuring sustainable development in African countries.
Leaders of G8 countries underscored that sustainable international cooperation should be further scaled up to expand health service and to prevent killer diseases in Africa.
Leaders of the G8 countries also deliberated with African leaders on peace, security and conflict prevention in the continent.
The G8 countries appreciated the initiative of the African Union (AU) and Sub regional organizations to set up standby force to prevent potential conflicts in the continent.
The leaders have also stressed that conflict in the continent should not be resolved by military force rather by creating conducive environment in political, economical and social sectors.
The G8 also expressed commitment to extend support to the AU and other regional organizations in the effort to control the illegal movement of small weapons in Africa.
They also confirmed that discussions on African issues among African leaders and International Aid agencies should be continued in a sustainable manner.
Leaders of G8 said that the economic growth Africa registered over the last few years is a reflection of the political commitment discharged in the continent.
The G8 expressed their commitment to extend support to Africa in domestic and international trade and investment activities to further consolidate sustainability of the positive changes witnessed in the continent.
Despite its significant contribution, foreign aid could not substitute the role trade and investment play for Africa's development, they underlined.
They also confirmed that they would provide additional support to financial institutions, installation of cross border infrastructures, capacity building of regional economic communities.
The eight world's wealthiest economies also expressed commitment to back the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) and African Peer Review Mechanism.
The G8 and African leaders have also agreed to bolster their partnership to expand health service and to prevent the deadly disease like HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria.
Leaders of several African countries including Prime Minister Meles and Prof. Alpha Omar Konare, Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union attended the summit.
While in Germany Prime Minister Meles had discussions with President of South Africa Thabo Mbeki, Prime Minister of Italy Romano Prodi and Germany Foreign Minister Spein Meier.
The discussion Meles held with President Mbeki in Berlin focused on various bilateral and international issues.
Similarly, the discussion held with Prime Minister of Italy, Romano Prodi the Grand Hotel in the German Baltic resort of Heiligendamm, centered on bilateral relations between Ethiopia and Italy as well as international issues particularly the current situation in the Horn of Africa.
Meles and Prodi held detailed discussions and exchanged views on the current situation of Somalia.
Prime Minister Meles on the occasion said the security in Somalia has been showing significant improvement from time to time.
Similarly, Meles held discussion with Minister of Foreign Affairs, of Germany Spein Meier on the G8 summit and bilateral relations between Ethiopia and Germany.
The two sides underlined that the meeting held between members of the G8 countries and African leaders was fruitful.
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