The African Union (AU) president Olusegun Obasanjo Monday called on all the African countries to continue supporting the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).

"I urge you all to continue with your support for this and other initiatives of NEPAD," Obasanjo, who is also Nigerian president, said in his speech at the opening ceremony of the fifth AU summit in the Libyan port city of Sirte.

"NEPAD is now four years old and has made admirable progress that reflects our renewed commitment to collective attention to our problems," he said.

NEPAD was launched in July 2001 and designed to address the current challenges facing the African continent, such as poverty, underdevelopment and a continued marginalization.

Obasanjo said NEPAD has continued to work effectively with regional economic communities, build African capacities, attract technical support for our development efforts, and work actively on feasibility studies for projects that are designed to change the face of Africa for the better.

Meanwhile, NEPAD's African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) has also born its fruit as more and more African countries have accepted the system to keep their economies develop sustainably, added Obasanjo.

As for the poverty issue in Africa, Obasanjo said although it is still a problem in the continent, the good news is that at national and continental levels, there is increased awareness of the linkage between poverty and political instability.

In addition, more foreign aid has been promised to help change the situation in Africa, he stressed.

Heads of state and government as well as their representatives from 53 AU members are gathering in Sirte, hometown of Libyan leader Muammar Ghaddafi, for the two-day summit, which will focus on issues including regional conflicts, the continent's development and debt cancellation, as well as Libya's proposal on AU construction.

Meanwhile, the summit is also expected to discuss the draft proposal on UN reform submitted by African foreign ministers seeking two permanent seats on the expanded UN Security Council.

The AU, modeled on the European Union, succeeded the Organization of African Unity in 2002 to adapt itself to the globalization trend and march toward peace and prosperity.

Source: Xinhua