[World Economic Forum] Leaders at Davos appeal for eradicating poverty in Africa

from New Kerala

Davos (Switzerland): Leading world figures at the World Economic Forum (WEF) here have stressed that the world should follow through on the "mountain of goodwill" generated last year towards the goal of eradicating poverty in Africa.

The panellists in the African development debate Friday said the top priorities for pragmatic action were: exposing corruption by both givers and recipients, investing heavily in primary education, and taking aim at the "sacred cows" of European, Japanese and American farm subsidies that make it impossible for African herders to compete.

Gordon Brown, Britain's chancellor of the exchequer, has been pushing for universal free primary education in Africa. But he also sought strong commitment from African leaders, saying "the real question is about empowerment and what Africa can do for itself".

One of the things Africa is showing it increasingly can do is to govern accountably, Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo stressed.

"Not all our problems have disappeared, but last year elections took place in Liberia successfully, a change in government took place in Tanzania successfully, in Burundi and in Guinea Bissau too successfully. Wow. Twenty years ago that was unthinkable," Obasanjo said.

Yet good governance alone cannot eliminate poverty without strategic investments and fair trade, panellists agreed. And the three most vital investments, they said, must come "in capital infrastructure, physical infrastructure and human infrastructure".