Leaders of the member states of the New Partnership for Africa's Development are holding a one-day summit in Nigeria for talks on promoting democracy and economic development. 

The talks are being held in Abuja, the Nigerian capital. In his opening address, Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo called on Africa to solve its numerous conflicts. He said peace and security are the bedrock of economic development. 

The president also called for additional debt relief for African countries. The NEPAD summit brings together more than a dozen African heads of state, who are expected to discuss debt relief and ways of attracting much-needed Western investment and economic aid. The heads of state are also expected to endorse a declaration calling for far-reaching political and economic reform across Africa. 

NEPAD, launched last year, is the result of the merger of two previous blueprints for African development. 

The summit is viewed as a lead up to the G-8 meeting of the world's top industrialized countries, plus Russia, that will be held in Canada in June. Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien will hold talks with six African leaders in Nigeria on April 5. 

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