Accra, Feb. 22, GNA - A United States (US) bi-partisan Congressional delegation led by California Congresswoman and House Minority Leader, Nancy Pelossi, has lauded President John Agyekum Kufuor for his leadership role in the promotion of democracy, peace and stability on the African continent.

"We want to thank you for the great role and leadership in Africa. We also salute your country's great democracy", the Leader of the delegation said when they paid a courtesy call on him at the Castle, Osu, on Wednesday.

They also expressed appreciation for Ghana's co-operation with the US in the war against terrorism.

The delegation was in the country to help strengthen the partnership between Ghana and the US. Among issues that engaged their attention were the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA), HIV-AIDS and infrastructure development.

In addition, they solicited President Kufuor's opinion on how to bring peace to Sudan's troubled Darfur region.

Congresswoman Pelossi said they wanted to get more connected with Ghana and to honour the history of the past.

President Kufuor said Africa's new crop of Political leaders were determined to manage the affairs and resources of the continent in a way that would earn the respect of all and make the rest of the world take them seriously.

He said there was a re-awakening of Africa to the reality that it was in freedom that people could be productive. This was the underpinning of the African Peer Review Mechanism, an initiative by the leaders to allow their governance systems to be reviewed.

The Mechanism, President Kufuor said was not intended to expose the shortcomings of the leaders but to help them to correct their mistakes. He appealed to the American Congress to give backing to the various interventions by President George Bush to support Africa to lift itself from its development challenges.

President Kufuor touched on the MCA and said this was the single biggest assistance to come from the US, adding that everything was being done to reach the compact and access the Account.

The support would come to transform the country's agriculture in a way that would hasten Ghana's development, he added.

President Kufuor also asked for more assistance in the fight against the spread of the HIV-AIDS infection and to alleviate the hardships of communities afflicted by the disease. Feb. 22 06