Africa wants to see more actions from the richest countries towards meeting their aid commitments for a big push on the world's poorest continent, according to K.Y. Amoako, executive secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).

Amoako also urged African countries for their part to do more to stimulate an increase in domestic resource mobilization and private investment as part of their efforts to meet the targets of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015.

The ECA official spoke Saturday when opening the two-day meeting of African ministers of finance, planning and economic development in the Nigerian capital Abuja.

"The Millennium Project estimates that in order for sub-Saharan Africa to reach the MDGs, aid will have to increase, in real terms,from 2004's level of just under 25 billion US dollars, to 37 billion this year and then climb steadily to 73 billion by 2015," he said.

"Similarly, the Commission for Africa has calculated that an extra 75 billion dollars a year is needed for 7 percent growth in Africa and acceleration towards the Millennium Development Goals by 2015," he went on.

Last month, the commission predicted that at the present tread many of the African countries are unlikely to achieve the MDGs by 2015. For example, the number of persons living in extreme poverty in sub-Saharan Africa increased from 217 million in 1990 to 290 million in 2000 while life expectancy in the region declined from 50 to 46 years during the period.

"It is now important that we see action at the highest levels from influential actors to build momentum," Amoako stated.

The official said it's encouraging that the developed countries have halted the downward trend in aid and that there is widespread discussion on the best modalities for providing more resources to finance the development agenda in Africa.

But at the same time, "African countries need first to take the initiative and operationalize national poverty reduction and growth strategies or plans" through more transparency in their governance and better aid management, said Amoako.

Maxwell M. Mkwezalamba, economic affairs commissioner of the African Union Commission, echoed his words, saying that there is still a chance for Africa to meet the MDGs.

"This will be the case if African governments remain fully committed to doing so, and Development Partners live up to their long standing commitments in the areas of official development aid and trade," Mkwezalamba added.

Source: Xinhua