------- Forwarded message follows ------- This might be of interest to some of your readership. For details of the Action Plan, please visit the site indicated at the end of the Communique. ----Original Message----- From: [log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Thursday, June 27, 2002 6:42 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: G8 Africa Action Plan / Plan d'action pour l'Afrique du G8 On behalf of the Prime Minister of Canada, the Honourable Jean Chrétien, in his capacity as this year's Chair of the Group of Eight (G8), I am pleased to offer you a copy of the Africa Action Plan that was adopted by G8 Leaders at the Kananaskis Summit on 27 June 2002. The Africa Action Plan responds to the invitation extended by African Leaders to build a new partnership for development with the countries of Africa, based on mutual responsibility and respect. This invitation was first extended to G8 Leaders at Genoa, last July, and was reaffirmed in the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), a bold and far-sighted plan for Africa's development adopted by African Leaders last November in Abuja, Nigeria. In the Africa Action Plan, G8 Leaders commit to each establishing enhanced partnerships with African countries that are committed to implementing the NEPAD - to match Africa's commitment by our own efforts to find peace in Africa, to boost expertise and capacity, to encourage trade and direct growth-oriented investment, and to provide more effective Official Development Assistance. This will focus our efforts on countries that are demonstrating a political and financial commitment to good governance and the rule of law, investing in their people, and pursuing policies that spur economic growth and alleviate poverty. At the same time, the Africa Action Plan reiterates the G8 commitment to respond to situations of humanitarian need universally, independent of particular regimes. The G8 Africa Action Plan is intended to provide support for the objectives and initiatives set out in the New Partnership for Africa's Development. By focussing on a limited number of priority areas where G8 support could immediately add value, the initial response to the NEPAD includes: 1) Peace and Security; 2) Political and Economic Governance; 3) Trade, Investment, Economic Growth and Sustainable Development; 4) Debt Relief; 5) Education and Information and Communications Technology (ICT); 6) Health and HIV/AIDS; 7) Agricultural Productivity; and 8) Water Resource Management. The G8's response to NEPAD is to say "yes" and to offer to establish a new dual partnership with Africa: first, a broad partnership with 800 million Africans which seeks to respond to their basic human needs as articulated in the UN's Millennium Declaration, and second, an enhanced partnership with those African Governments which are prepared to embrace the NEPAD commitments and expectations. G8 Leaders have expressed their desire and determination to support Africa's efforts to realize NEPAD's objectives. They have committed themselves to mobilize and energize global action, marshal resources and expertise, and provide impetus across the multilateral system in support of what NEPAD is seeking to achieve. The Africa Action Plan is a tangible first step towards the realization of this commitment. In taking the next steps, G8 and Africa Leaders have agreed to work closely in order to ensure that the implementation of the commitments contained in the NEPAD and in the G8 Africa Action Plan advance NEPAD's broader vision of a revitalized and prosperous future for Africa. http://www.g8.gc.ca/kan_docs/afraction-e.pdf Yours best regards, Robert R. Fowler Personal Representative of the Prime Minister for the G8 Summit and for Africa ------- End of forwarded message ------- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~