African leaders praised their continent's progress Wednesday at the opening of the 18th World Economic Forum on Africa while reminding of the perils of extreme poverty and instability.
Presidents from Burundi, Malawi, South Africa, Ghana and Kenya were all upbeat about economic growth on the continent.
"My view is that the African continent is evolving very well in the correct direction," said South African President Thabo Mbeki, brushing off a question about his concerns for Africa, saying he would rather be positive.
He said countries such as Burundi and Kenya, which have both been wracked by violence and implemented peace agreements, sent a positive message about Africa's capacity to confront its problems.
"Generally there is progress towards addressing this issue of peace, stability and reaffirming the democratic process," he told hundreds of delegates attending the three-day conference in Cape Town.
Ghanaian President John Kufuor, who said he would hand over power "smoothly and fairly" in six months when his term comes to an end, said Africa had immense opportunities given its natural resource wealth.
"We know that the continent abounds in all the resources that you need to grow and improve the quality of life of people," he said.
Despite optimism on a continent where many countries have experienced positive economic growth in recent years, leaders said extreme poverty and ongoing conflict in some nations remained problems.
"Without peace you can't do anything. With peace there is hope to develop your country," said Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza.
Source:Xinhua
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