Madagascar Deal Shows Commitment to Good Governance: Zuma

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, July 04, 2002

Madagascar Deal Shows Commitment to Good Governance: Zuma

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South Africa Deputy President Jacob Zuma, said here on Thursday that the recent decision to ban Madagascar's seat in the Organization of African Unity (OAU) shows a new way of doing things and a commitment to good governance.

In his opening speech of the Organization of African Unity (OAU)76th Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers, Zuma told African ministers that the march towards democracy and good governance is unstoppable.

The vice president of the biggest economy in Africa and the host country of the first African Union (AU) summit, noted that the unequal power relations between the developed North and the developing South are still a cause for concern and that the gap between them is widening.

"More and more people in the developing world live on less thana dollar a day," Zuma moaned, adding that Africa's share of the world trade falling to "negligible" 2 percent.

He urged the developed countries jointly to address Africa's ailing situation by canceling debt of those highly indebted poor countries, ensuring foreign investment flow to Africa, accepting more African products and bridging the digital divide.

Zuma reiterated that the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) is the "only" development program, through which Africa could avoid the marginalization in the global economic equation.

"It (NEPAD) is a comprehensive response to the challenges facing the continent, especially those of poverty and underdevelopment," he said, adding that the newborn African Union will promote NEPAD as its own project.

The vice president was upbeat about the recovery of Africa and hailed the coming of the AU.

"A firm foundation has been laid and the right direction shown," he said, "How can we fail? We cannot fail."

The OAU is expected to held its last summit on July 8 and welcome the AU in the following day.

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