NAIROBI, Kenya - East African leaders met in Kenya's capital Saturday to discuss the New Economic Partnership for Africa Development, hoping to have more influence over the shape of the final plan.
President Daniel arap Moi hosted the leaders of Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania for a daylong meeting, complaining that so far no East African leader served on NEPAD's steering committee. He called on regional leaders to draft a common position on the economic plan, which calls for African leaders to reform their governments and economies and for western nations to contribute more economic assistance.
The meeting takes place just days before a meeting in Canada of the G-8 summit of the world's top industrialized nations. African leaders have been invited to attend the summit and NEPAD is expected to be the main topic.
The Bush administration on Friday outlined a plan to pump millions of dollars into helping the continent with health care and economic development. U.S. President George W. Bush will present the ideas to the summit in Kananaskis, Alberta.
Moi called on all African nations to establish NEPAD secretariats and for a special department in the African Union to coordinate continentwide initiatives. The African Union, loosely modeled on the European Union, is slated to replace the Organization of African Unity.
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