DATE=04/15/02

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-288739

TITLE=AFRICA-NEPAD (L O)

BYLINE=LUIS RAMIREZ

DATELINE=ABIDJAN

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: African leaders are meeting with world business executives in the Senegalese capital, Dakar, in an effort to boost Western investment in Africa. The meeting is taking place as part of the latest development initiative, known as the New Partnership for Africa's Development or NEPAD. V-O-A's Luis Ramirez reports from our West Africa bureau in Abidjan.

TEXT: The NEPAD initiative, conceived last year, seeks to build an economic partnership between the G-Eight group of the world's wealthiest nations and the African continent.

African officials meeting in Dakar are discussing a series of proposals that they will present to G-Eight leaders at their summit in Canada in June.

In remarks made during the last leg of an African trip last week, Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien said African nations must improve their human rights record and ensure political stability in order to attract more Western investment.

/// OPT /// At a meeting in Nigeria last month, NEPAD countries pledged their support for the creation of what they said would be an African peer review mechanism. The mechanism would consist of a code of good governance that would be designed and enforced by Africans. /// END OPT ///

/// OPT /// NEPAD was initiated by a coalition of nations across the continent, led by Nigeria and South Africa. The aim of the initiative is to draw more investment -- rather than direct aid -- from wealthy nations to the countries of Africa. /// END OPT ///

/// OPT /// NEPAD countries hope to attract more than 60 billion dollars a year in outside investment. /// END OPT ///

The meeting in Dakar is scheduled to continue through Tuesday. /// OPT /// The opening ceremony Monday was presided by the president of Gabon, Omar Bongo. /// END OPT ///

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