DAKAR, Senegal -- Prime Minister Jean Chretien wrapped up his six-country sweep of Africa yesterday declaring this poor continent will finally become an international player in the new century.
During a luncheon address to President Abdoulaye Wade and Senegalian officials, Chretien said for too long Africa's role in world affairs has not equalled its weight in terms of population, history or culture.
"The 21st century will become the century in which Africa will really become part of the international community," said Chretien.
He added he believes his G-8 counterparts will react "very positively" to forming a new partnership with Africa -- one based on trade and investment in exchange for better governance and human rights -- this June at the G-8 summit in Kananaskis. Wade said he was grateful for Chretien's visit and praised the lead role he has taken on the African initiative.
"Mr. Prime Minister, the eyes of millions of Africans will be looking towards you and Kananaskis," said Wade, whose country is ranked 145th out of 162 in the United Nation's human index ranking.
The same index ranks Canada No. 3.
While Chretien met with 14 African leaders during this six-country swing across the continent, he singled out Wade as one leader that most impressed him.
He noted Wade was a former Marxist-Leninist who seems to have changed his ways and now welcomes a free-market economy.
As well, Wade was the only African leader to speak out against Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's rigged election.
The New Partnership for Africa's Development, the so-called NEPAD plan, was first proposed by African leaders to revive their continent of 830 million people, both politically and economically.
It has been taken on as a project by the G-8 but has also come under harsh criticism by human-rights groups. They say it fails to seriously address human-rights issues, transparency in government and the continent's AIDS crisis.
Chretien's foreign affairs adviser, Claude Laverdure, said African leaders have changed their attitudes tremendously towards how they run their countries in the past 10 years.
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