Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade proposed Thursday the creation of a non-petroleum producers association in Africa, aimed at defending their interests against the rise of oil prices.

Soaring oil prices are hammering economies in Africa. As for Senegal, its expenses for oil purchase rose from 400 million U.S. dollars to 850 million dollars between 2002 and 2005, Wade told a regional conference attended by energy ministers of African non-oil producing countries in Dakar.

Moreover, African non-oil producing countries have been forced to carry out a huge subvention policy to reduce negative effects of the rising oil prices on their economy and social cohesion, said Wade.

"If measures are not taken, non-petroleum producing African nations will inevitably head towards economic regression," Wade warned.

The Senegal's president called for a more even distribution of oil wealth among countries in Africa and proposed the formation of the African Non-Petroleum Producers Association, so as to develop alternative energy sources, such as biofuels.

Source: Xinhua