DAKAR, Senegal - African leaders assembled in Senegal's capital Monday to plan spending and other strategy ahead of what's to be a massive influx of Western aid.
By the time all arrive, those attending the Dakar summit are to include presidents of Mali, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Kenya, Cape Verde and Benin.
South Africa and Nigeria — whose leaders are busy with Congo peace talks and a visit by the Chinese president, respectively — are among those sending lower-ranking representatives.
The assistance plan, dubbed the New Partnership for African Development, is the brainchild of Britain, South Africa, Nigeria and Algeria. The plan was adopted in principle at a summit of the Group of 8 wealthiest nations in Italy last year; the final version is to be worked out at the G-8 summit in Canada in June.
Wanting to see their money is spent well, Western nations are demanding African countries and other recipients make political and economic reforms ahead of the pledged billions of dollars in aid.
In the Cold War, lenders such as the World Bank notoriously looked the other way while African leaders put money meant for public aid to private use.
Among the free-spending then were Omar Bongo, whose West African country built up more than dlrs 3 billion in foreign debt as he acquired a gold-plated Cadillac and other luxuries.
Bongois the honorary president of this week's conference.
"We must work quickly and well," he told colleagues Monday.
Delegates plan to work up plans for sectors including agriculture, energy and the environment.
Private investors and representatives of international non-profit organizations also are taking part.
Organizers said one of the purposes of the Dakar meeting is to open dialogue between leaders in the plan and private investors.
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