African anti-terror summit ends

The first anti-terror pact followed the Kenya bombing

More than 10 heads of state and delegates from 20 other African countries have ended a one-day summit in Senegal with a declaration against terrorism.

Our continent does not lack legal instruments, but there must be a political will

OAU Secretary General Amara Essy

Although no binding agreement was reached, the declaration called for a meeting of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), now being transformed to the African Union, to monitor developments.

An OAU summit would also measure progress in the implementation of the existing African Convention against Terrorism, agreed in Algiers two years ago.

Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade had wanted to adopt an entirely new anti-terrorism pact because so few countries had ratified the old one.

His aim is to establish permanent institutions responsible for seeking out and dealing with those suspected of supporting terrorist actions.

Continuing dialogue

The first convention - drawn up in response to the 1999 bombings of US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania - has been signed by 36 of Africa's 53 states.

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

But only three have ratified the pact, which deals with matters such as international arrests and extradition.

Sierra Leone's Foreign Minister Ahmed Dumbuya said it was important to maintain dialogue, even if previous initiatives had had little success.

"One way is to sit down and do nothing," he told the BBC's Network Africa programme.

"Another way is to meet, talk and search for ways in which something can be done and we are hopeful that something can emerge," he said.

OAU Secretary General Amara Essy used the latest summit to urge more countries to ratify the convention.

"Our continent does not lack legal instruments, but there must be a political will," he was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.

Front line

The bomb attacks three years ago on the US embassies which left over 200 people dead brought sub-Saharan Africa on to the front line of global terrorism.

Bin Laden is suspected of masterminding the 1998 US embassy bombing in Kenya

The September attacks on the United States, and the call by the Americans for a global coalition is being used by President Wade to spur Africans on to finish the task they set themselves three years ago.

Critics have said that Africa is being asked to spend too much money on a proposed general assembly and higher council against terrorism.

There are also fears of being seen to give too much support to President Bush at a time when the United States is leading a bombing campaign in which Afghan civilians are victims.

Nigeria is already feeling the political impact of that with anti-American riots in its Muslim north.

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