President Olusegun Obasanjo has called on the international community to consider "as a matter of priority" the "total cancellation" of the debts of African nations "as part of a meaningful effort" towards the continent's development.

Addressing members of the international community on the final day of his state visit to Ethiopia in Addis Ababa on October 10, President Obasanjo also called for "genuine cooperation for the return of illegally acquired funds, which are stashed away in foreign banks," as well as the adoption of measures that will prevent the further looting of the resources of African nations.

"One other area where Africa desires genuine engagement with her partners is market access for our products in the true spirit of globalization. We also seek the cooperation of our partners, especially the European Union and the United States on the removal of agricultural subsidies without which we cannot achieve a global fair market economy," the President told the gathering at the Headquarters of the African Union.

He noted that concerted action in all these areas will greatly help to provide the additional resources required for the development of African countries. "These are the areas where we believe that the intervention of our partners towards our development efforts will be genuine and sincere," he remarked.

President Obasanjo also shared his vision of Africa with the audience, which included the Chairman of the African Union Commission, Prof. Alpha Konare, the Executive Secretary of UNECA, Mr. Abdoulie Janneh, permanent representatives to the African Union, AU Commissioners and heads of international organizations.

"As I address you today, I envision an Africa that will be free of conflicts: one that will be linked in all its parts by a network railways and roads, where telephone calls between countries will not have to be relayed through other continents; an Africa where there will be free movement of persons, goods and services.

" I dream of an Africa that will no longer be associated with poverty, hunger and diseases; one that will begin to experience capital and human resource inflows and not outflows; a continent that will no longer be awash with illegal small arms and light weapons; one where there will be respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, an Africa with good governance and democratic practice at local, national, sub-regional and continental levels.

"I nurse the hope of an Africa that will take full control of its resources and utilize them judiciously for the benefit of its peoples. Together with you, we desire an Africa that will steadily march toward full economic and political integration, and be a major player in world affairs.

"That is the Africa we should strive to build," the President concluded.