Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1962-11-23
Focus On
Africa
By EDDIE L. MADISON, JR.


way line, an African Develop.
ment Bank, and an African
Common Market - if brought
to maturity, would bring about
a drastic change in the course
of Africa's total economy.
The proposed railway line,
which would link the Atlantic
Ocean with the Indian Ocean and
the Mediterranean Sea, was an
nounced by DR.. Nnamdi Azikiwe,
Nigerian Governor General, in his
opening address to the African
Railway Congress in Lagos, Niger
ia, on November 6.
DR.. Azilxiwe said the proposal
for the trans-continental rail line
was contained in a paper entitled
THE Role Of Railways in De-
velopirg Countries" which was
read to the Congress by British
engineering expert Sir James Far
quharson. DR.. Aziliwe said Africa
must make the greatest effort to
eliminate deficiencies In her trans
port system, adding that mutual
exchange Of views could lead to
the Improvement.
The Governor General said inter-
regional rail links In Africa should
be encouraged because such a move
would assist us not only In ex-
(ploiting Africa's economic potenti-
ais, but also as bold step forward
towards the realization of African
unity"
DR.. Azikiwe told delegates to the
conference, at which Is African
states were presented, that they
should cooperate in the effort to-
ward eliminating transport bar
riers. He said the proposed new
railway line would have major
stations in the Central African
Republic, Chad, Congo, Libya and
Nigeria.
In an earlier dispatch, AMPS
Nigeria correspondent, J. v. Clin-
ton, quoted DR.. Azikiwe as saying
the line would provide Africa's
middle belt" with direct rail con-
nections to the Atlantic and Indian
Oceans as well as to the Mediter-
ranean Sea.
Delegates attending the confer
ence included representatives Of
Congo, Dahomey, Ghana, the Ivory
Coast, CAMERON, Mali, Sierra
Leone, the United Arab Republic
Egypt and East African rail-
ways.
Meanwhile, In Geneva, Switzer-
land, delegates from nine African
countries attended a nine-day
meeting to study conditions for
the creation Of an African Devel.
opment Bank. The nine states rep
resented were CAMERON, Ethiopia,
Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Su-
dan, Tanganyilka and Tt1nisia.
The meeting at Geneva marked
the end Of a main phase In the
word Of the COMMITTEE Of Nine"
set up last spring by an Adds
Ababa meeting Of the United Ma
tons Economic Commission for
Africa. The Commission asked the
nine countries to study a financial
and administrative structure for
the bank and the scope Of its oper-
alton.
And while western European
countries continued to ponder the
workings of the European Common
Market, which In itself would af-
feet African countries, the IL men,
Der states Of the African and NAL
agasy Economic Cooperation Or
ganization (OAMCE) met in Paris
with the view Of forming an Afri-
can Common Market.
African territories formerly con-
trolled by France already hold as
sociate membership in the Euro
pean Common Market. II Great
Britain joins the union, as anticl
ipated, English-spealring African
states which are members Of the
Commonwealth would have some
status In the European Common
Market. There have been mixed
reactions from African member
states regarding Britain's entry
into the Common Market. How
ever, both former French and Brit
ish African territories have indie
ated a desire for forming some
kind Of economic union.
Some so experts at the Paris
meeting began to tackle concrete
problems linked with the creation
Of an African Common Market.
The aim Of the conference was to
achieve complete Indignation Of
economic, financial, and customs
legislation in the IL member states.
Once this Is done, the member
countries can set up a common ex-
ternal tariff like the European
Common Market.
again. Mrs. Franklin d. Roosevelt,