The following press statement was released today by the Embassy of Ethiopia in London.

H.E. Prime Minister Meles Zenawi attended the third meeting of the Commission for Africa  held on 24th  February 2005 at Lancaster House in London.

Prime Minister Meles is one of the 17 commissioners of the Commission for Africa, which was established under the chairmanship of British Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon Tony Blair early last year.

Over the past year, the commissioners have been engaged in analysing why previous efforts to solve African problems failed, and have looked into fresh and viable mechanisms to deal with them.

The commissioners’ report is expected to be launched in both London and Addis Ababa on 11th March, 2005 and will include comprehensive recommendations to change the lives of Africans through good governance, more development aid, debt relief as well as the creation of a fair trading environment for African countries on the international market.

Britain will assume the presidency of the G-8 and the European Union later this year and Africa will be one of the major items on the agenda to be tabled by the British Prime Minister at these fora, so that a broader global consensus and political goodwill can be generated to help solve Africa’s problems.

At a press conference held at the conclusion of the meeting, Prime Minister Blair praised his Ethiopian counterpart, and noted that Prime Minister Meles was chosen as a commissioner on his personal merit and for his commitment to reform and development in Ethiopia.

In the course of his brief stay in London, Prime Minister Meles also met and held discussions with British friends of Ethiopia Think-Tank as well as representatives of the Ethiopian Community living in London.  Prime Minister Meles and his entourage left for home on the evening of 24th March after concluding their fruitful visit to the UK, the fourth in the last two years.

ENDS