Annan salutes peace efforts

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan complimented Africa on its peace efforts yesterday, but warned that the continent needed political will to achieve long-term stability.

“The United Nations and the rest of the international community can appoint envoys, urge negotiations and spend billions of dollars on peace-keeping missions - but none of this will solve conflicts if the political will and capacity do not exist in Africa.

“I salute those African leaders who have already shown such energy,” he said at the opening of an African Union (AU) heads of state summit in Maputo.