AEGiS-AP: Germany's Merkel, Africa progress group seek ways to maintain G-8 momentum

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2007. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Germany's Merkel, Africa progress group seek ways to maintain G-8 momentum

Associated Press - Tuesday, December 18, 2007

BERLIN: German Chancellor Angela Merkel met Tuesday with a group advocating African development to discuss ways of keeping up "the momentum for Africa" once Berlin hands over the Group of Eight presidency to Japan.

Under German leadership, the G-8 nations this year sought to reaffirm their commitment to lift Africa out of poverty. Still, their US$60 billion (41.6 billion Euros) pledge to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS and other diseases in Africa was criticized by many activists as falling short of expectations.

The head of the Africa Progress Panel, former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, praised Merkel as "one of the champions of Africa," praising her for pressing for the implementation of international commitments to the continent.

Merkel said she and the panel members, including anti-poverty campaigner Bob Geldof, would discuss "what advice we can support the Japanese presidency of the G-8 in order to maintain the momentum for Africa." Japan takes over the presidency on Jan. 1.

Annan argued that Africa is "at a takeoff point," with "very positive things happening ... on the economic front."

"There are also new players on the ground in Africa who are making a difference, whether it's China or India, and we would want to see a situation where all those who share the mission ... of making Africa stable and prosperous pool their efforts to succeed," Annan said.
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