Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi held a meeting with British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Wednesday evening ahead of the second summit of the Commission for Africa (CFA). Earlier Meles and senior government officials had welcomed Blair as he arrived at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport.

In a press conference after their meeting, Prime Minister Blair talked about his ‘high hopes’ for the work of the Commission for Africa.

He said the Commission is “a partnership arrangement in which we need to do certain things and African countries need to do certain things.  It has to be a partnership between equals, no longer a relationship of donor and recipient.”

“The Commission’s work is not simply to enlarge our understanding of Africa’s problems but to pave the way for meaningful actions that will help get the problems resolved.”

He went on to say that the CFA would not duplicate existing initiatives like the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), although it should in fact support the NEPAD process by ensuring the developed world fulfilled its commitments.

Prime Minister Meles agreed, saying that if were to have advised on him on how to support NEPAD most effectively, “I would have asked him to establish the Commission for Africa that he has already formed.”

The Prime Ministers also announced that as well as taking the CFA’s plan of action to the G8 Summit for endorsement, the African Union would also look into the proposals and express its views.

During the meeting, the two Prime Minister also discussed the bilateral relations between Ethiopia and Britain as well as a range of other regional issues.

ENDS