Paul Ibe
8 July 2008
Hokkaido, Japan — African leaders attending the 34th Group of Eight(G8) Summit, including Nigeria's President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua , were yesterday unanimous in their condemnation of the events in Zimbabwe .
The African leaders made their positions known as the three-day G8 summit kicked off yesterday in Hokkaido Toyako, Japan. Outreach sessions devoted to African development and other Africa-related topics, were held with topics such as the soaring food and oil prices, which have had a particularly strong impact on people in poor countries taking the centre stage.
President Yar'Adua and six other African leaders including those from Algeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, as well as the African Union, met in the outreach sessions to deliver African views to G8 leaders yesterday.
The positions of the African leaders, however, came against the backdrop of concerted effort by the G8 countries, especially the United Kingdom, United States and Germany to slam further sanctions on Robert Mugabe's government.
A source close to the G8 outreach sessions with African leaders said that the meeting focused on climate change, trade and development, capacity building, global food crisis, millenium development goals (MDGs) and aid to the continent.
The source noted that the issue of Zimbabwe came up in the course of discussion on good governance. He said that there was unanimity between African leaders present at the summit and the G8 nations about "the condemnation of the events in Zimbabwe."
He said that all the African leaders present reported that none of the continent's leaders who spoke at the African Union meeting in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt had said "that what Mugabe had done was right."
Foreign Affairs Minister, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, told THISDAY that Nigeria was mentioned for recognition because of the clarity of her position in Egypt and support for AU efforts to bring about a negotiated settlement of the crisis.
On aid to the continent, the G8 leaders said that they had delivered on all of their pledges to Africa even as they insisted that there is a strong link between good governance, democracy and the ability of the continent's leaders to fight poverty.
They stressed that what the continent desires is a leadership that serves the people and not hold them hostage, as is currently the case in a number of African countries.
The G8 states of Japan, United States, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Russia were expected to announce their new African assistance plans in a joint statement to be issued tomorrow or Wednesday.
Meanwhile, President Yar'Adua yesterday sought the assistance of the World Bank's President Robert Zoellick in providing technical assistance to the country to manage the contracts to be awarded in the power sector emergency projects to enable the country get value for her money.
The President made the request at the meeting he had with the World Bank boss in Hokkaido yesterday. The Japanese Prime Minister, Yasuo Fukuda, had stressed on the need for improved security, especially in the Niger Delta during his meeting with Yar'Adua.
President Yar'Adua will today depart for Tokyo where he is scheduled to meet with Japanese Business Federation (Keidanren). He will depart Tokyo for Nigeria tomorrow.
Also, yesterday, First Lady, Mrs Turai Yar'Adua visited the Japan Red Cross facilities in Hokkaido.
She was received on arrival by the Director of Hokkaido Blood Centre. She will, tomorrow in Tokyo, pay a courtesy call on Her Majesty, the Empress Michiko of Japan and meet with officers' wives at Mayfair Conference Room, Hotel Okura , Tokyo.
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