Mubarak: Africa needs sound plans for improvement

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak told the Egyptian daily Al-Gomhouria that his participation in the Organization of African Unity's summit meeting, which opened today in Algeria, aims at deepening African dialogue to address problems like debt, border conflicts and poverty and at addressing bilateral relations with Algeria.

Mubarak said that progress in Africa could be achieved if well-studied plans are followed to improve African standards of living, make good use of African wealth and create sound relations between African and developed countries.

Mubarak told Al-Gomhouria that he will meet with Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to help Algeria face internal problems, as well as to help in improving Algerian relations with the United States and France.

He is also to meet with several African leaders on the summit's sidelines to discuss bilateral relations.