Proposal on the creation of an African instiutute in Assilah made by several intellectuals

A proposal to create an African institute for culture and development to examine and analyse the obstacles that impede democracy and development in Africa was made by the colloquy on "Africa: lost hopes" that closed Wednesday in the city of Assilah, Northern Morocco.

The institute would be a forum for African intellectuals and politicians to meet to debate and analyse issues on development and democracy. The institute is to be a non governmental organization for researchers, polititicians and journalists to conduct research on Africa issues.

Mohammed Benaissa, chairman of the foundation of the Assilah forum, said his foundation welcomes the proposal, adding the northern city has the cultural facilities likely to help host such an institution.

Cherif Khazandar, chairman of the culture commission of the French commission to the UNESCO, chaired the colloquy on Africa opened last Tuesday in Assilah and attended by many Moroccan and foreign intellectuals, historians and anthropoligists.

The colloquy discussed ways to boost african democracy that take into account the specificities of african societies so as to create african own democratic models that respect local culture, traditions and civilisations. The gathering also pondered the reasons why Africa, with all its human and economic potentials, finds it hard to materialise its aspirations.