Afro-South American Summit to discuss Darfur crisis

Nov 26, 2006 (ABUJA) — African Heads of State and Government attending the First Africa-South America Summit will discuss the Darfur crisis on Thursday, according to the summit timetable issued here on Sunday.

The timetable of the five-day summit, which kicked off here on Sunday in the Nigeria capital Abuja with pre-summit technical meeting of officials, shows that Darfur crisis will engage the African leaders when their visiting colleagues from South America will have left.

Some 53 African countries and 12 South American countries are expected to attend the conference.

The timetable also indicates that ministers of foreign affairs of the countries will meet on Monday and Tuesday, and the heads of state will arrive on Wednesday.

Special group meetings of NGOs and civil society organizations will feature before the summit of heads of state and governments.

The summit would largely discuss workable areas of cooperation and understanding that would facilitate genuine strategic development in the two regions.

(Xinhua)