1 Scores of African officials convened Monday to develop a set of development priorities that would be presented to the U.N. social summit in Copenhagen next month.
2 Delegations from virtually every African country were joined by development experts from the industrialized world at a five-day forum called Audience Africa, hosted by the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. More than 300 people are participating.
3 The goal, according to organizers, is to give Africans a chance to define development priorities for themselves, instead of having external initiatives imposed on them.
4 'We need a radical change in African self-perception,' said the forum's president, Graca Machel, widow of former President Samora Machel of Mozambique. 'Let us make of this audience not a mere intellectual exercise but a forum that leads to concrete achievement.'
5 UNESCO's director-general, Federico Mayor, said there were both moral and political reasons why wealthy countries should not shirk at aiding Africa.
6 'The West owes an historical debt toward Africa,' he said. 'The wealth, power and dynamism of the West are in large measure the results of the forced contribution of Africa.'
7 Salim Salim of Tanzania, general-secretary of the Organization of African Unity, said Western donors must be aware how difficult reform can be in the impoverished continent.
8 'Democracy is, in a real sense, on trial in Africa,' Salim said. 'Our partners. should not lose sight of the fact that at he end of the day, when Africans have expressed their views by vote, there must be something on the table when they get home.'
9 The recommendations adopted at the close of the forum Friday will be presented by UNESCO at the March 6-12 Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen, and will also be used by UNESCO in setting its own budget in November.
10 Proposals are expected regarding education, science and technology, rural development, and mass communication.
11 Several heads of government and heads of state attended the opening session, including President Blaise Compaore of Burkina Faso. He alluded to U.S.-led efforts to obtain as much as dlrs 50 billion to support financially ailing Mexico.
12 'That made me stop and think,' he said. 'That amount of money would allow Africa not to pay its debts for a while, would make a revolution of development.'

" We need a radical change in African self - perception , " said the forum ' s president , Graca Machel , widow of former President Samora Machel of Mozambique . " Let us make of this audience not a mere intellectual exercise but a forum that leads to concrete achievement . "
achievement
what would achievement look like?\n