Nigeria to work with EU in Africa

President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria has said his country intends to work with the European Union to help foster peace and development in Africa.

The Nigerian leader, speaking during a two-day visit to Belgium - which has just taken over the presidency of the EU - said peace and security was a pre-condition for anything else Nigeria wanted to do, particularly in central Africa.

President Obasanjo said that if peace was based on real reconciliation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria would be prepared to send peace-keeping forces there.

Troops from Zimbabwe, Angola and Namibia are currently in Congo in support of the government of President Joseph Kabila, while Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda are supporting rebel forces.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service