Accra, Sept.12, GNA- Mr. Gaddi H. Vasquez, Regional Director of Peace Corps, will arrive in Accra on Friday, September 12, to launch this year's conference of Peace Corps Country Directors in Africa. A statement from the American Embassy released in Accra on Friday, said the conference will take place at the La Palm Royal Hotel from September 15th to 19th.

The objective of the conference, the statement said, is to discuss lessons from their volunteer-assisted programmes in Africa.

Peace Corps Country Directors and staff from 27 African countries and Washington, DC, will review their programmes in education, health, small enterprise development, environment, agriculture and information technology.

They will also consider HIV/AIDS, and gender and youth development.

The participants, the statement said, will take lessons from their colleagues and counterparts to back and refine their respective country programmes.

It said Director Vasquez is also scheduled to meet with President J.A. Kufuor and the U.S. Ambassador Mary Carlin Yates.

Ghana was the first country in the world to enjoy the services of Peace Corps in 1961, under President Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.

Since then, more than 170,000 volunteers have served in diverse fields including education, health, HIV/AIDS education and awareness, information technology, business development, the environment, and agriculture.

Peace Corps Volunteers are U.S. citizens and at least 18 years of age and the Corps service is a two-year commitment.