SAHARA PRESS SERVICE

Ouagadougou 08/09/2004 (SPS) Beside some twenty Head of State, minister and economic expert, the President of the  Republic, Mohamed Abdelaziz, took part Wednesday to the opening of the AU extraordinary summit on poverty that is held in Ouagadougou from the 8 to the 9 September to discuss a strategy that can resolve the crisis of unemployment in the African continent.

The President of the Republic chairs a delegation composed of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mohamed Salem Ould Salek, the member to the National Secretariat and Coordinator with the Minurso, M’Hamed Khadad, Ambassador Zanan Brahim and the Press Counsellor to the Presidency, Abdati Breika.

According to the United Nations, more than 320 millions persons live with less than a dollar a day in Africa, where three quarters of the population suffers from "extreme poverty". On his side, the International Bureau for Labor (BIT) indicates that only a quarter of active population in Africa have got jobs.
  
Under the presidency of the Head of Nigerian State, Oluségun Obasanjo, current President of the AU, the summit has to discuss a work document, a draft statement, a draft plan of action and mechanisms of control and evaluation.

It will also study ways of improving the abilities of the populations to create opportunities of work and social security for workers by creating a suitable environment for national development based on activating resources for the enforcement of the adopted plan of action.
 
General Directors of International Monetary Funds (IMF), Rodrigo Rato, of International Bureau for Labor, Juan Somavia, as well as many experts from UN's organisations will be able to contribute to the success of the works of this summit.

UN's economic commission for Africa had estimated that regarding its actual rhythm of development (4,2 % in 2003), Africa may miss the objective of this millenary, which is to decrease poverty to the half by the year 2015. (SPS)

010/090/000/TRD 081308 Sept 04 SPS

SPS
SADR/PANAMA
Panama’s new Government reaffirms its support to Saharawi people's struggle for independence

Panama, 08/09/04 (SPS) The new Government of Panama reaffirmed its support to "the Saharawi people's struggle for independence", indicated a communiqué publicised by Saharawi Embassy in Panama, SPS received.

This position was expressed by the vice-president and minister for foreign affairs of Panama, Samuel Lewis Navarro, during a meeting he had Monday in Panama with a Saharawi delegation chaired by the President of Saharawi Parliament, Mahfoud Ali Beiba, and composed of the minister counsellor to the presidency, Ahmedou Souilem and Saharawi Ambassador to Panama, Salama Teyeb, indicated the same source.

The meeting allowed the two parties to discuss the developments of the bilateral relationships that link the two countries since two decades, it was underlined.

It should be recalled that the newly elected President of Panama, Martin Torrijos, had emphasised on the determination of his Government to support Saharawi people's right to self-determination and independence.
 
Mr. Torrijos, who was receiving the President of the Republic, Mohamed Abdelaziz, in margin of the ceremony of his inauguration, reiterated this September the 1st "the determination of the new Government to remain faithful to the … of General Omar Torrijos in the defence of the Saharawi people's right to independence and to strengthen the bilateral relationships between the two people". (SPS)

060/090/100 081047 Sept 04 SPS