African Leaders Conclude Discussions with G8 Leaders, USA, 10 June 2004

Sea Island, Georgia- President Thabo Mbeki and five African leaders including the Presidents of Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Algeria and Uganda today, Thursday 10 June 2004, concluded discussions here with leaders of the developed North, following an invitation from current Chair of the G-8, US President George W Bush.

President Mbeki was accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Ambassador Barbara Masekela, Professor Wiseman Nkuhlu and Adv Mojanku Gumbi.
At the meeting, the African leaders had re-emphasised the need for partnership between Africa and the G8 particularly given efforts aimed at poverty reduction and pushing back the frontiers of under-developments.

African leaders briefed the G8 leaders on peace and security initiatives including the recent launch of the Peace and Security Council; progress made in respect of reviews undertaken under the African Peer Review Mechanism, Agricultural Development; and concerns of African continent regarding the logjam in multilateral negotiations.

In response, President George Bush made a commitment to ensure that AGOA III is passed as soon as possible. In this regard, it was further noted that AGOA had assisted in the creation of over 300 000 jobs on the African continent.

The G8 leaders joined African leaders in expressing their concern regarding the logjam that has arisen in multilateral negotiations with particular reference to WTO and committed themselves to act to assist in unlocking the logjam.

In respect to the Peace and Security Support Operations and Resource Flows, G8 and African leaders agreed on the need for the NEPAD Steering Committee and the Personal Representatives of the leaders of the G8 to develop concrete proposals for consideration by both leaders in the next G8 meeting. The Sea Island encounter was the fourth meeting between African and G8 leaders with a view to building and consolidating partnerships aimed at advancing the continent's economic developmental programme-NEPAD. Previous interactions between the leaders took place in Japan (2000); Italy (2001); Canada (2002); France (2003).

This year's meeting took place against the background of the agreement by G8 leaders in 2002 in Kananaskis, Canada, committing themselves through the G8 Africa Action Plan in support of NEPAD and a further commitment to allocate 50% or more of the increase to development assistance announced in Monterrey for Africa.

In this regard, the G8 Africa Action Plan was aimed at addressing the following issues :

· Promoting peace and security
· Strengthening institutions and governance
· Fostering trade, investment, economic growth and sustainable development
· Implementation of debt relief
· Expanding knowledge
· Improving health and confronting HIV/AIDS
· Increase in agricultural productivity
· And improving water resource management.

It was reconfirmed that a comprehensive review of progress with the implementation of the G8
Africa Action Plan will be conducted in 2005, the Prime Minister of the UK stressed that the work of the UK Commission for Africa will focus on developing a holistic response for issues of trade governance, peace and security, human development and resource flows.

Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa at (27) 82 990 4853
c/o Embassy of South Africa, Washington DC, USA
Department of Foreign Affairs

10 June 2004