EU leaders underline AFrica commitment

   FEIRA, Portugal, June 20 (AFP) - European Union leaders pledged Tuesday
to
help African nations in efforts to speed up economic growth and development.
   The EU commitment to Africa was symbolised by the presence at a two-day
summit here of South African President Thabo Mbeki, who flew in to address
the
Europeans and then dine with them -- although he passed on the opportunity
to
set out Africa's concerns to reporters afterwards.
   Inviting him to the summit, Portuguese Foreign Minister Jaime Game said,
was part of the European Union's wish "to bring Africa to the center stage
of
Europe's agenda" after the first-ever EU-Africa summit in April.
   In a statement issued at the close of the summit in this northern
Portuguese town, the EU "reaffirmed its willingness to continue to support
measures aimed at rapid economic growth and sustinable development" while
recalling that peace, democracy, human rights and the rule of law were
prerequisites for economic improvement.
   The statement also welcomed an offer from Portugal to host the next
Europe-Africa summit in Lisbon in 2003.
   stb/ccr

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