Emeka Aginam
10 November 2008
The 4th Africa Forum of the Partnership with Africa initiative launched by the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, H.E. Horst, co-hosted by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Umaru Yar'Adua. is scheduled to take place this week in the capital Territory, Abuja.
The fourth Forum, according to a statement from the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, will build on the sense of trust created at the previous meetings.
Under the slogan "Barriers to partnership - and how to overcome them," participants, according to German Embassy, will talk plainly about obstacles that continue to hinder the development of trusting and balanced relations.
"Taking a separate look at the spheres of politics, the private sector and civil society, delegates will address preconceived ideas, traditional behaviors and ways of thinking, knowledge deficits and concrete divergences of interest, while at the same time seeking constructive ways of overcoming these barriers. The path to a sustainable partnership for the future is to be built on a relationship of trust and openness" the statement added
In addition to the two co-hosts, Presidents John Kufuor of Ghana, Blaise Compaoré of Burkina Faso, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia, Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia, the President of the AU Commission Jean Ping, the President of the ECOWAS Commission Mohamed Ibn Chambas, the President of the Pan-African Parliament Gertrude Mongella and around 40 representatives from the spheres of politics, business and culture in Africa and Germany, according to the Embassy, have confirmed their participation.
The Germany's Federal President founded the "Partnership with Africa" initiative in 2005 together with the German ZEIT Foundation. The initiative is designed to build a process of honest and open dialogue between Africa and Germany. Presidents of African states and the German President meet African and German representatives from the spheres of politics, business, culture and civil society at a round table for confidential talks.
Three Africa Forums have taken place so far. At the first Forum held at Petersberg near Bonn in late 2005, delegates discussed what a joint partnership might mean. At the second forum in the Ghanaian capital Accra in January 2007, the partnership was opened to representatives of the young people of Africa and Germany.
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