Second ASA Summit ends as Venezuelan president announces final declaration

September 28, 2009

The second Africa-South America (ASA) Summit ended Sunday as Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez announced that the final declaration was approved.

"The Margarita Declaration and Action Plan have been approved," he told the plenary session in Porlamar, Margarita Island of Venezuela.

Some 20 leaders from African and South American countries attended the summit to discuss issues concerning education, health, energy and global economic crisis.

The declaration covers issues concerning climate change and building alternative financial mechanism to counter the current economic crisis and stave off possible future crises.

The declaration also urges signatories to seek social justice, social inclusion, equality and mutual respect, and to fight human trafficking and transnational crimes.

"The key thing is to assume the responsibility and maintain the willingness for independent decision-making," Libyan leader Muammar Ghaddafi told the closing session of the meeting.

Food security was a major topic at the summit, as Venezuela signed an agreement with the Food and Agriculture Organization to help build irrigation infrastructure, donate certified seeds and train staff in African nations, and provide grants for African students in Venezuela.

On the sidelines of the summit, Venezuela signed agreements with Sierra Leone to form a joint mining company. It also signed an oil agreement with South Africa.

Earlier on Sunday, Ecuador's President Rafael Correa urged African and South American countries to work together and redress the asymmetry in economic development.

Also on Sunday, Nigerien President Mamadou Tandja said the alliance between South America and Africa would help boost the sustainable development of both regions.

"The South-South alliance will give our countries the opportunity to break the vicious cycle of poverty," Tandja said.

Meanwhile, President of Comoros Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi proposed that the two continents work together in developing education and building agricultural infrastructure.

The first ASA Summit was held in Abuja, Nigeria in November 2006, which ended with the "Abuja Declaration" and "Plan of Action" aimed at enhancing cooperation between the two regions.

The next ASA Summit will be held in Libya in September 2010.

Source: People's Daily.
Link: http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90852/6771365.html.