By Charles W. Corey
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- A new partnership is emerging between the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, and Africa, two senior IMF and World Bank officials told reporters March 7, while adding that many African leaders also appear ready to write their own plans to help spur development across the continent.

World Bank Vice President for the Africa Region Callisto Madavo and IMF Africa Department Director G.E. Gondwe made those points while briefing reporters on the February 18-25 trip to Africa by IMF Managing Director Horst Kohler and World Bank President James Wolfensohn. Both Madavo and Gondwe accompanied them on the visit, which was a follow-up to a promise made by Kohler and Wolfensohn at the Prague 2000 annual meetings to give Africa a higher profile at both institutions.

Reflecting on their visit to Mali, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Kenya, Madavo said, "For the first time I think the African leaders ... [are] taking ownership of what they want to do in Africa -- what is their vision, what are their programs, what are their constraints, and then asking the bank and the fund -- given the backdrop of those objectives -- to help."

Gondwe called the response by African heads of state to the joint bank-fund trip "overwhelming. They all came" to the regional meetings -- which, he said, were "enthusiastically embraced" by all African leaders in attendance.

Often in the past, Gondwe recalled, there has "been a tendency to point at third parties as being responsible for Africa's problems. This time ... there was a very clear understanding of what the problems are and enthusiasm for taking responsibility for what has to be done."

On problems of conflict and corruption, Gondwe said, "Instead of pointing fingers ... it was quite clear that there was an acceptance that these are problems that they have to solve" themselves.

One head of state, according to Gondwe, said the "first responsibility" of each head of state must be to ensure good governance and an end to corruption.

Gondwe said both the World Bank and IMF leaders and their delegations witnessed a "positive approach" from African leaders trying to determine how Africa can best position itself to take advantage in expanding global markets.

"The purpose of these meetings was achieved," he said. "We wanted to hear from the Africans themselves, how they can solve their problems and what is their vision for accelerating growth so that Africa can catch up with the rest of the world."

The IMF managing director and the World Bank president first visited Bamako, Mali, for meetings February 18-20 with heads of state from West and Central Africa, which were hosted by Mali's President Alpha Oumar Konare.

From Mali the two leaders traveled to Abuja, Nigeria, on February 21 for talks with government officials there, before leaving for Dar es Salaam for February 22-24 talks with heads of state from southern and East Africa, which were hosted by Tanzanian President Benjamin William Mkapa.

On February 25, the two traveled to Kenya, the final stop on their planned itinerary.

Madavo said that one trip highlight was the talks held with South African President Thabo Mbeki, Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, and Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo to discuss the Millennium African Program they are leading.

As a result of these meetings, Madavo said, both institutions are anticipating that African countries will become more "participatory" in developing their economic development programs.

Asked to outline the Millennium African Program, Madavo said that a "progress report on the program" was given to World Bank and IMF officials. All agreed, he said, about the importance to Africa's future development of governance, conflict resolution, education, capacity building, a vigorous attack on HIV/AIDS, linking Africa to the global economy, and improving its infrastructure.

Madavo said that the challenge for everyone over the next 12 months is to achieve real economic growth on the continent, adding, "We are quite willing to roll up our sleeves" to assist Africans "in making progress."

What is most encouraging, he said, is that African leaders appear now to be fully prepared to "write their own future." So, overall, the IMF and World Bank are "are optimistic" about Africa's future.

(The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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