The Chief Executive Officer of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organization (CTO) has said at an international Conference on business opportunities in Africa held in London early this week that Africa is capable of playing a more dynamic role to fund, support and attract public and private investments in its infrastructure, alongside any help it may get from the international community. Two US officials call on Chief Imam Atiku Iddrisu & Jeffrey De-graft Johnson The outgoing Counselor for Public Affairs at the US Embassy in Accra, Mr. David Queen, has described Ghana as a country that embraces and adheres to the dictates of democracy in all endeavors.

He congratulated all institutions and individuals through whose efforts the State was able to achieve such a significant global recognition in democratic constitutionalism.

Mr. Queen was speaking yesterday when he and Mr. Tony Yowell, the outgoing Economic Officer of the Embassy paid a farewell call on the National Chief Imam Sheikh Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu at his Fadama residence in Accra. Both officers have ended their duty tour in Ghana.

They both commended the cordiality that has existed for some time between the Embassy and the Ghanaian Muslim community, which they attributed to the good leadership of Sheikh Sharubutu. They described him as "a father", a peaceful and visionary leader who always preaches peace and development.

Mr. Queen and his colleague expressed hope that the good relation that exists between the Embassy and the Chief Imam's office would continue. Responding, the National Chief Imam said he was sad that the two officers were leaving Ghana in view of the good relations they helped to build between the Embassy and the Muslim ummah. He said he had to accept it the way it came as "it was in the interest of the US government who brought them here".

Sheikh Sharubutu said he would never forget the two officers and the good services they rendered the Ghanaian Muslim community.

He however expressed the hope that whoever comes to replace them would help nurture such a good relationship that they toiled to build with Ghanaian Muslims.

Antony Yowell is expected to leave the country for Liberia at the weekend. Joseph Ellis takes his place as the new Economic Officer of the Embassy. Speaking on a panel with a number of international financial experts, Dr. Spio-Garbrah noted that through a mixture of public taxation, pooling and securitisation of a range of idle African public sector assets, investments by viable African public and private enterprises, as well as contributions by African financial institutions, the Continent is capable of doing more to fund viable projects than is the case today. Two US officials call on Chief Imam Atiku Iddrisu & Jeffrey De-graft Johnson The outgoing Counselor for Public Affairs at the US Embassy in Accra, Mr. David Queen, has described Ghana as a country that embraces and adheres to the dictates of democracy in all endeavors.

He congratulated all institutions and individuals through whose efforts the State was able to achieve such a significant global recognition in democratic constitutionalism.

Mr. Queen was speaking yesterday when he and Mr. Tony Yowell, the outgoing Economic Officer of the Embassy paid a farewell call on the National Chief Imam Sheikh Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu at his Fadama residence in Accra. Both officers have ended their duty tour in Ghana.

They both commended the cordiality that has existed for some time between the Embassy and the Ghanaian Muslim community, which they attributed to the good leadership of Sheikh Sharubutu. They described him as "a father", a peaceful and visionary leader who always preaches peace and development.

Mr. Queen and his colleague expressed hope that the good relation that exists between the Embassy and the Chief Imam's office would continue. Responding, the National Chief Imam said he was sad that the two officers were leaving Ghana in view of the good relations they helped to build between the Embassy and the Muslim ummah. He said he had to accept it the way it came as "it was in the interest of the US government who brought them here".

Sheikh Sharubutu said he would never forget the two officers and the good services they rendered the Ghanaian Muslim community.

He however expressed the hope that whoever comes to replace them would help nurture such a good relationship that they toiled to build with Ghanaian Muslims.

Antony Yowell is expected to leave the country for Liberia at the weekend. Joseph Ellis takes his place as the new Economic Officer of the Embassy.

Citing his previous experience as a Minister of Communication and of Education in Ghana, Spio-Garbrah said that African governments have been able to mobilise more taxes, as Ghana has done through the installation of a Value Added Tax regime and a Ghana Education Trust Fund, which today raise more than $200 million and $50 million, respectively, for various projects, including infrastructure throughout Ghana.

He reminded the audience that African telecommunications projects such as fibre-optic cable project alongside the western and southern coasts of Africa, as well as the African Regional Satellite Communication project (RASCOM) have involved considerable equity funding by African telecom institutions in order to leverage foreign partnerships and investments.

The CTO CEO suggested that notwithstanding what African could do for itself, "the international trade and financing architecture needs urgent structural adjustment".

He was of the view that the debt forgiveness that was being promised by the G8, if it took early effect, could release much needed funds for investment in critical infrastructure. He agreed with other delegates who argued for international bilateral and multilateral institutions to support medium and small-size enterprises in Africa with grants rather than loans, as has been done for more than a decade now for non-governmental organisations and civil society bodies.

However, he suggested that there are a number of simple steps African public and private sector institutions should take to more fully harness the Continent's potential, and to make better use of existing African institutions, such as the African Development Bank, the African Export-Import Bank, the Africa Project Development Facility, African Management Services company and many others already in existence.

In the telecom sector, he pointed to a number of countries whose regulatory agencies have mobilised sizeable amounts of money for rural communications infrastructure, through Universal Service Funds, but which are yet to put these funds to productive use.

He felt, for example, that mobile cellular companies that have made tremendous profits in the African telecom sector in the last few years should plough back a reasonable percentage into the rural areas, to enable Africa to gain faster access to knowledge.

Other personalities on the financing panel included Trevor Manuel, Minister of Finance of South Africa, Peter Voicke, former Managing Director of the World Bank and Executive Vice President of the IFC, Nkosana Moyo, Managing Director of Actis, Barbara James, Managing Director of the African Venture Capital Association, Kimberley Wiehl, Secretary General of the Berne Union, and William Kaleema, Chairman of the Uganda Investment Commission. Earlier, the conference had received statements from UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and President Festus Mogae of Botswana.

Earlier Spio-Garbrah had participated in a breakfast roundtable dialogue on the challenges for scaling up ICTs chaired by Denis Gilhooly of the UN ICT Task Force, which included presentations from senior representatives of Microsoft, Oracle, Sisco, the Japanese government and NEPAD.

Held at the Guildhall of the City of London, the conference was attended by some 150 delegates representing African governments and the private sector, and officials of governments, development agencies and international financial institutions from Europe, Asia and the USA.

Dubbed "Bending the Arc: the Business of Attaining the Millennium Development Goals in Africa", the conference was organised by the secretariat of the New African Partnership for Development (NEPAD), the United Nations, and the African Business Roundtable. The outgoing Counselor for Public Affairs at the US Embassy in Accra, Mr. David Queen, has described Ghana as a country that embraces and adheres to the dictates of democracy in all endeavors.

He congratulated all institutions and individuals through whose efforts the State was able to achieve such a significant global recognition in democratic constitutionalism.

Mr. Queen was speaking yesterday when he and Mr. Tony Yowell, the outgoing Economic Officer of the Embassy paid a farewell call on the National Chief Imam Sheikh Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu at his Fadama residence in Accra. Both officers have ended their duty tour in Ghana.

They both commended the cordiality that has existed for some time between the Embassy and the Ghanaian Muslim community, which they attributed to the good leadership of Sheikh Sharubutu. They described him as "a father", a peaceful and visionary leader who always preaches peace and development.

Mr. Queen and his colleague expressed hope that the good relation that exists between the Embassy and the Chief Imam's office would continue. Responding, the National Chief Imam said he was sad that the two officers were leaving Ghana in view of the good relations they helped to build between the Embassy and the Muslim ummah. He said he had to accept it the way it came as "it was in the interest of the US government who brought them here".

Sheikh Sharubutu said he would never forget the two officers and the good services they rendered the Ghanaian Muslim community.

He however expressed the hope that whoever comes to replace them would help nurture such a good relationship that they toiled to build with Ghanaian Muslims.

Antony Yowell is expected to leave the country for Liberia at the weekend. Joseph Ellis takes his place as the new Economic Officer of the Embassy. Speaking on a panel with a number of international financial experts, Dr. Spio-Garbrah noted that through a mixture of public taxation, pooling and securitisation of a range of idle African public sector assets, investments by viable African public and private enterprises, as well as contributions by African financial institutions, the Continent is capable of doing more to fund viable projects than is the case today. Two US officials call on Chief Imam Atiku Iddrisu & Jeffrey De-graft Johnson The outgoing Counselor for Public Affairs at the US Embassy in Accra, Mr. David Queen, has described Ghana as a country that embraces and adheres to the dictates of democracy in all endeavors.

He congratulated all institutions and individuals through whose efforts the State was able to achieve such a significant global recognition in democratic constitutionalism.

Mr. Queen was speaking yesterday when he and Mr. Tony Yowell, the outgoing Economic Officer of the Embassy paid a farewell call on the National Chief Imam Sheikh Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu at his Fadama residence in Accra. Both officers have ended their duty tour in Ghana.

They both commended the cordiality that has existed for some time between the Embassy and the Ghanaian Muslim community, which they attributed to the good leadership of Sheikh Sharubutu. They described him as "a father", a peaceful and visionary leader who always preaches peace and development.

Mr. Queen and his colleague expressed hope that the good relation that exists between the Embassy and the Chief Imam's office would continue. Responding, the National Chief Imam said he was sad that the two officers were leaving Ghana in view of the good relations they helped to build between the Embassy and the Muslim ummah. He said he had to accept it the way it came as "it was in the interest of the US government who brought them here".

Sheikh Sharubutu said he would never forget the two officers and the good services they rendered the Ghanaian Muslim community.

He however expressed the hope that whoever comes to replace them would help nurture such a good relationship that they toiled to build with Ghanaian Muslims.

Antony Yowell is expected to leave the country for Liberia at the weekend. Joseph Ellis takes his place as the new Economic Officer of the Embassy.

Citing his previous experience as a Minister of Communication and of Education in Ghana, Spio-Garbrah said that African governments have been able to mobilise more taxes, as Ghana has done through the installation of a Value Added Tax regime and a Ghana Education Trust Fund, which today raise more than $200 million and $50 million, respectively, for various projects, including infrastructure throughout Ghana.

He reminded the audience that African telecommunications projects such as fibre-optic cable project alongside the western and southern coasts of Africa, as well as the African Regional Satellite Communication project (RASCOM) have involved considerable equity funding by African telecom institutions in order to leverage foreign partnerships and investments.

The CTO CEO suggested that notwithstanding what African could do for itself, "the international trade and financing architecture needs urgent structural adjustment".

He was of the view that the debt forgiveness that was being promised by the G8, if it took early effect, could release much needed funds for investment in critical infrastructure. He agreed with other delegates who argued for international bilateral and multilateral institutions to support medium and small-size enterprises in Africa with grants rather than loans, as has been done for more than a decade now for non-governmental organisations and civil society bodies.

However, he suggested that there are a number of simple steps African public and private sector institutions should take to more fully harness the Continent's potential, and to make better use of existing African institutions, such as the African Development Bank, the African Export-Import Bank, the Africa Project Development Facility, African Management Services company and many others already in existence.

In the telecom sector, he pointed to a number of countries whose regulatory agencies have mobilised sizeable amounts of money for rural communications infrastructure, through Universal Service Funds, but which are yet to put these funds to productive use.

He felt, for example, that mobile cellular companies that have made tremendous profits in the African telecom sector in the last few years should plough back a reasonable percentage into the rural areas, to enable Africa to gain faster access to knowledge.

Other personalities on the financing panel included Trevor Manuel, Minister of Finance of South Africa, Peter Voicke, former Managing Director of the World Bank and Executive Vice President of the IFC, Nkosana Moyo, Managing Director of Actis, Barbara James, Managing Director of the African Venture Capital Association, Kimberley Wiehl, Secretary General of the Berne Union, and William Kaleema, Chairman of the Uganda Investment Commission. Earlier, the conference had received statements from UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and President Festus Mogae of Botswana.

Earlier Spio-Garbrah had participated in a breakfast roundtable dialogue on the challenges for scaling up ICTs chaired by Denis Gilhooly of the UN ICT Task Force, which included presentations from senior representatives of Microsoft, Oracle, Sisco, the Japanese government and NEPAD.

Held at the Guildhall of the City of London, the conference was attended by some 150 delegates representing African governments and the private sector, and officials of governments, development agencies and international financial institutions from Europe, Asia and the USA.

Dubbed "Bending the Arc: the Business of Attaining the Millennium Development Goals in Africa", the conference was organised by the secretariat of the New African Partnership for Development (NEPAD), the United Nations, and the African Business Roundtable.