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Roundup: Mali FM reveals expectations of 27th Africa-France summit

Xinhua, January 14, 2017 Adjust font size:

In his opening speech of the ministerial meeting prior to the 27th Africa-France summit, the Malian Foreign Affairs minister Abdoulaye Diop summarized on Friday the expectations of the up-coming summit.

According to the top Malian diplomat, the expectations are mainly more shared responsibility in the application of measures and forces in the global fight against terrorism, piracy, and transnational organized crime in the Sahel, North Africa, the Horn of Africa and the Lake Chad Basin region.

The heads of state and government will also focus on reinforcement of capacity of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) and the deployment of a rapid reaction force, under the direction of the African Union (AU), Diop said.

The mobilization according to the 2063 Agenda of the AU, which will transform in depth our continent in fields related to sustainable development, and the mobilization to achieve the goals the Paris Agreement on climate changes through consolidation of the Africa-France partnership facing the risks posed by increasing desertification, deforestation, lack of water and risks to biodiversity are also among the expectations of this summit, according to him.

Another expectation is the acceleration of the pace of inclusive economic growth, with more effective savings and investment policies, developing "our infrastructure and our common capacity in science and technology", Diop continued.

Diop also mentioned the implementation of the projet of "the Franco-African Foundation for Growth" which aimed to increase the level of trade between France and the African continent and the operationalization of the African Initiative on renewable energy.

Another main expectation, according to the Malian minister is "the expansion of the Africa-France partnership in know-how, innovation and digitization in favor of the diversification of economies".

The Malian Foreign Affairs minister also told his African and French counterparts that the African continents represents a "terrific space of economic opportunities and investments, open to an equitable international partnership".

For him, the African continent is stepping into a development perspective, particularly in several sectoral fields such as infrastructure, new communications technologies, renewable energy and tourism.

The summit is scheduled for Jan. 14 in Bamako, Mali, with confirmed participation of more than 40 heads of state and government, including French President Francois Hollande who arrived in Bamako Friday night after paying a visit to the French anti-terrorist operation force in North Mali. Endit