AFRICA - Peace in Africa focus of African Nobel Prize Winners in Dakar

Thursday, 7 October 2004

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Dakar (Fides Service)- A loud call for peace in Africa came yesterday 6 October from African Nobel Prize winners meeting of Dakar, capital of Senegal. Guests invited included premier Nobel for peace 1993, South Africans Nelson Mandela and Frederick de Klerk, Nigerian Wole Soyinka, Nobel for Literature 1986. Also present Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade and the Presidents of Cape Verde ( Pedro Pires), Mali (Amadou Toumani Touré), Uganda (Yoweri Museveni), Nigeria (Olusegun Obasanjo) and vice president of the Gambia, Isatou Njie Saidy.
Nelson Mandela, unable to attend the meeting, sent a recorder message in which he confirmed his full commitment to the cause for peace in Africa and encouraged all the other Nobel prize winners to join him in this struggle. Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu ( Nobel for peace 1984) and UN General Secretary Ghana born Kofi Annan (Nobel for peace with the UN) were also invited but unable to attend for health reasons or previous engagements.
The meeting intended to bring African intellectuals together to discuss Africa’s problems. The event is also an anticipation of a 2005 meeting for African Nobel prize winners to launch a decade of peace in Africa. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 7/10/2004 righe 23 parole 237)