OAU Adopts Plan to Fight Famine, Debt

African leaders Friday adopted a program designed to help the continent recover from its economic crisis and famine through closer cooperation and agricultural reform.

The 21st summit of the 50-nation Organization of African Unity moved quickly in approving the “Addis Declaration” to put the continent on a course of self-reliance.

A key element of the declaration is a call for an international conference “to discuss Africa’s external debt with a view to arriving at appropriate emergency, short-, medium-, and long-term solutions to alleviate the problems.”

Africa’s foreign debt is projected to reach $170 billion this year. The Organization of African Unity estimates that Africa will pay its lenders $20.4 billion in interest payments this year.

An estimated 150 million people on the continent face hunger and starvation as a result of famine resulting from the drought.

Priority to Agriculture

The leaders vowed to give the “highest priority” to implementing a program for improving the food situation and rehabilitating agriculture “in order to lay the foundation for Africa’s food self-sufficiency.”

While stressing self-reliance, the declaration called for international cooperation in providing concessional financial resources and resolving the debt crisis.

“We recognize that the collective effort of the member states is the most important weapon for tackling the current economic crisis, and Africa is fully aware of its responsibility for adopting measures for its economic recovery and rehabilitation,” the declaration said.

“However, the magnitude of the crisis makes it imperative for the international community to supplement our effort,” it added.

‘Africa Accepts Its Debts’

The summit adopted the declaration after President Julius K. Nyerere of Tanzania vowed that “Africa shall not leave its children starving just to pay debts.”

However, Nyerere, the outgoing OAU chairman and a respected leader on the continent, also said, “Africa accepts its debts and is willing to pay them.”