African leaders mull anti-terror measures

Muslim anti-war marches have gone ahead in cities across Africa

More than 10 heads of state and delegates from 20 other African countries have begun a meeting in Senegal to discuss terrorism and security issues.

Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade says he will table a draft text for an anti-terrorism pact.

Senegal's President Wade greets Ivorian President Gbagbo

Senegalese Foreign Minister Cheikh Tidiane Gadio said Africa must not allow itself to be the soft underbelly of the international system in countering terrorists.

He talked of the need for African countries to be far more rigorous in coordinating the security of their ports, airports and borders.

Africa itself has been far from unaffected by events since 11 September

Impact

The economic effects on the airline industry may have dealt the final death blow to West Africa's regional carrier, Air Afrique; the political fallout of the attacks on Afghanistan has led to bloody riots in Kano, the historic heart of northern Nigeria.

Nigeria President Olusegun Obasanjo is one of the leaders expected at the summit, fresh from visiting there.

More than 100 died in Kano's weekend violence

And there have been marches and protests in many other cities across the continent.

The countries of the region are aware of their vulnerability.

They know how easily the men who carried out the attacks on the American embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam were able to operate in Kenya and Tanzania.

Both France and the United States have welcomed the Senegalese president's initiative in calling the meeting, but it is thought that President Wade may not get such an easy ride from his fellow African leaders.

An African Convention against Terrorism already exists, agreed in Algiers less than two years ago, and dealing with matters like international arrests and extradition.

There have been suggestions that another agreement is unnecessary, and may put some African countries more firmly than they want to be in the American camp.