Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, returned home last night from Stockholm, Sweden, where he attended the Nordic-African Consultative Forum.

Ghana, South Africa, Nigeria, Senegal, Benin, Botswana and Mali represented Africa. Speaking to newsmen at the airport, Mr Owusu-Agyemang described the forum as fruitful and productive, saying it was used to brief the Nordic countries on peace, security, the economic development and the democratic process in Africa.

The African group also briefed their Nordic counterparts on the New Partnership for African Economic Development (NEPA) blueprint the OAU adopted. Mr Owusu-Agyemang said the forum underscored the need to promote conflict prevention on the continent adding that the situation in the Mano River and the Great Lakes regions also came up for discussion.

He said members of the Nordic group expressed their willingness to assist Africa to consolidate peace and democracy. There was also the need for poverty reduction to be undertaken on the continent.

Mr Owusu-Agyemang said he held talks with his Swedish counterpart on bilateral issues and that Stockholm promised to resume aid to Ghana to support the construction of roads and bridges in the northern part of the country. They also promised to resource the Kofi Annan Peace Academy at Teshie and also support the training of Ghanaian peacekeepers.

Mr Owusu-Agyemang said Ghana had followed with interest developments in Zimbabwe and expressed the hope that the sub-regional meeting currently underway in Malawi would help restore peace to that country.