The British Prime Minster, Tony Blair, has invited six African presidents to a meeting at his country residence, Chequers, today.
President Kufuor and the leaders of Nigeria, Tanzania, Botswana, Senegal and Mozambique will have the chance to discuss development priorities and Britain’s relationship with Africa.
The British government has said Britain’s partnership with Africa will be a priority for its second term in office.
The British Prime Minister’s country residence is a beautiful house set in quiet countryside.
The original idea was that this should be a relaxed occasion, not involving too many people, and a chance for Tony Blair, who does not know Africa particularly well, to get to know some like-minded African leaders.
Forward-looking leaders
The group that have been invited are reforming, forward-looking presidents, most of them with clear ideas on how they want their countries to develop and a good track record in making government work.
They also include two of the main sponsors of what is known as the New Africa Initiative – President Obasanjo of Nigeria and President Wade of Senegal – and this plan is likely to figure largely in the discussions.
The group is expected to be joined by two other British ministers – Baroness Amos from the Foreign Office, who recently represented Britain at the World Conference against Racism in Durban, and Claire Short, who is responsible for overseas development.
Ms Short is already a familiar figure to the African leaders.
UK sympathy
Britain has already said it is sympathetic to the African Initiative, and willing to channel aid money according to its priorities.
The invitations to Chequers were issued well in advance, and the meeting is going ahead, despite events in the United States last week, and the current preparations for an American response.
Even so issues of terrorism, security, and the relations between religions and cultures are bound to be on everybody’s minds, and it is not likely to be as relaxed an occasion as was originally intended.
Source: GhanaWeb
