The first ever African local summit to provide a catalyst for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of halving poverty by the year 2015 is to be held in Kumasi in the first week of April.

The four-day programme would discuss among other things, ways of bridging the malaria gap, climate vulnerability, food and agriculture challenges, scaling up Africa’s infrastructure, micro finance, water and sanitation, cost-effective delivery systems in basic education and information communication technology (ICT).

It would be under the theme, “Empowering Africa to achieve the MDGs.”

A statement signed by Mr Kofi Kankam, the Summit’s Secretariat Chairman, said the key speakers would include Mr Kamil Kamaluddeen, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Country Director, Professor Kojo Yankah, a Communication Specialist, Mr Chris Hart, an Economist from South Africa, Reverend Dr Joyce Rosalind Aryee, former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Ms Theo Sowa, CEO African Women Development Fund, and Rosebell Kagumine, Ugandan Journalist and Blogger.

It noted that the local solutions and the people to drive these are found throughout the continent.

The summit would therefore be a pivotal gathering where the participants would share vital collaboration tools, appropriate technologies and forge a vibrant professional and civil society network of African partners in empowerment, united in action for a sustainable future.

The event would also serve as a prelude to the Global Summit’s third biennial meeting fixed for August 15-17 in London.**