Africans ready to develop continent, but need support, Annan

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Monday called for greater international backing for Africa and stressed that the UN system had a crucial role to play in mobilizing and delivering that support.

Africans are now much less disposed to blame all their troubles on outsiders and more determined to take responsibility for their own future, Annan told the High-Level Segment of the 2001 substantive session of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), which this year focuses on African development.

"We must make ourselves Africa's advocates, not only for improved market access, but also for the reduction of the subsidies paid by rich countries to their farmers, which currently amount to $1 billion a day," he said, adding "this lowers world prices, leading to lower incomes and poverty in Africa."

The Secretary-General called on the UN system to become Africa's advocate for a wide range of measures, including increased development aid, deeper and faster debt relief and a larger share of private investment. He also stressed the need to make greater efforts to "listen to the people on the ground" and be more constructive in finding ways to support local, African initiatives.

"This could be a turning point in Africa's history," he said, referring to the adoption of a new Africa recovery plan at the recently concluded Organization of African Unity Summit in Lusaka, Zambia, at which African leaders also committed themselves to forming an African Union, along the model of the European Union.