African leaders and World Bank declare new partnership

The World Bank president, James Wolfensohn, and leaders of twelve African countries have declared a new partnership to give priority to Africa's most urgent problems.

These include debt reduction and improvement of roads, water and power supplies, as well as loans to small and medium-sized businesses.

A statement after a two-day summit in Kampala urged greater regional co-operation and the South African deputy president, Thabo Mbeki, said the twelve leaders told Mr Wolfensohn Africa should be designated a special development area.

In a BBC interview, Mr Wolfensohn described the session as extra-ordinarily useful -- allowing an unusual opportunity to standback and look at the issues facing Africa.

The countries taking part account for almost half of the six-hundred million people of sub-Saharan Africa.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service