CANNES, FRANCE - The Ministerial Session of the 24th Conference of Heads of State of Africa and France opened in the French resort city of Cannes today. The Chairperson of the Executive Council of the African Union and Ghana's Foreign Minister, Nana Akufo-Addo in a statement to the Session stressed on the need for a fundamental realignment of Africa's relations to the rest of the world. He noted that the France Africa Summit has now become an important feature on the international calender because of the important tie that bind our various countires - including Ghana which is now an associate member of the Francphonie.

The main Summit which will be attended by over 40 African leaders including the AU Chairman and Ghana's President John Agyekum Kufuor will be held under the banner "AFRICA AND GLOBAL STABILITY". The Summit intends to highlight the need to include Africa in global issues as well as its successes and its projects for the future.

The overall theme will be divided into three sub themes, which will be the focus of discussions in three workshops, namely:

RAW MATERIALS IN AFRICA; AFRICA'S POSITION AND INFLUENCE IN THE WORLD; and AFRICA AND THE INFORMATION SOCIETY.

Disussions are expected to focus on

How Africa responds to exploitation of its raw material. The position of the continent in international organisations.etc

STATEMENT BY CHAIRPERSON OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OF THE AU, AND GHANA'S FOREIGN MINISTER, NANA AKUFO-ADDO

Distinguished Delegates,

I wish to join others who have spoken before me in expressing appreciation to Foreign Minister Philippe Douste Blazy and his government for the reception and facilities that we are enjoying in this famous city, which is at the heart of the beautiful Cote d’Azur, for the 24th Africa-France Summit. Hopefully, Cannes will not be too seductive for those of us who are non-francophiles!

The Summit has now become an important feature of our international calendar because of the important ties that bind our various countries - including Ghana, which is now an associate member of La Francophonie – and our continent with France.

We value these ties, and that is why we are here in such numbers, and why so many of our leaders are coming to Cannes.

There can be little doubt about the nature of the challenge facing our generation of Africans and our friends, and that is the imperative need to transform , or - at the very least - initiate the process of the transformation of the social and economic circumstances of the African people so that we can banish mass poverty on our continent and in our different countries, and enable the African people to fair in dignity, the worldwide movement for prosperity that is transforming the lives of hundreds of millions of people across the globe in Europe, Asia and the Americas.

The process of transformation has to be across the board, and has to permeate all aspects of our relations with the world outside. Up to now these relations, which have been principally with Europe, have not benefited Africa very much. On the contrary, in many respects, they have contributed to the impoverishment of our continent.

We need a fundamental realignment of our relations, and the Ghanaian delegation is thus of the view that the overall theme of this conference, and its sub-themes, go very much to the heart of our current predicament. The issue to do with the fate of our raw materials, our place in the world and the state of our involvement in the information society are clearly germane to our overall situation.

The Ghanaian delegation is of the firm view that the spirit of such a conference with friends of Africa, has to be focused on the imperative necessity of transforming Africa’s relations with the world outside and the new Africa that is emerging. The Africa of respect for good governance, respect for human rights and the rule of law is determined to undertake this transformation. We count on friends like France to be sensitive and supportive of that determination. Hopefully, this conference will contribute to this goal.

Thank you.