Annan urges international community to help accelerate Africa's progress

To end the vicious cycle of under-development and give hope to the continent's people, Africa needs, more than ever, the support of the international community to consolidate and accelerate socio-economic progress, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan said today.

"African countries need to collaborate with each other and continue along the path of major reform," Mr. Annan said in a message to a follow-up meeting to the Africa-France Summit delivered in Paris today by Tuliameni Kalomoh, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs.

"Developed countries also need to undertake far-reaching initiatives, in particular more debt relief, an increase in official development assistance, and greater market access to African products," Mr. Annan said.

He also said that the General Assembly's debate on financing and development, scheduled for the end of this month, the G8 Summit in July and the September Summit are "decisive opportunities" to generate greater support from the international community for Africa's development.

In his remarks, the Secretary-General also said that despite unacceptable levels of poverty and the instability in certain regions of the continent, there has been some growth even after a period of economic stagnation.

Perhaps most important, there are more and more democratically elected governments and fewer armed conflicts, he added.