Meeting for African trade ministers in Algeria today

A meeting of African trade ministers is starting today in Algeria and will last for two days.

Egyptian Trade Minister Ahmed Goweili said before travelling to Algeria yesterday to participate in this meeting that, "The meetings aim at coordinating the Arab countries' stances toward some causes that concern the continent regarding beginning of the new round of negotiations in the World Trade Organization in Seattle in coming November."

The meetings come before the meeting of the United Nations Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in Thailand in November to discuss the developing countries' stances toward liberating trade and services.

The participants will also discuss in the Algerian meeting reducing external African debts, which currently exceed $150 billion -- nearly 30% of value of the services and goods exported.