Addis Ababa:  African leaders have kicked off a new round of talks on a new continental development plan, targeting the creation of jobs for the youth under an initiative sponsored by the Danish government, dubbed the Africa Commission.
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Africa's top policymakers, including the African Union Chairman Jakaya Kikwete, who is also the President of Tanzania; African Union Commission President Jean Ping and the African Development Bank President Donald Kaberuka, are attending the meeting here.
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Danish Prime Minister Anders Rasmussen is chairing the talks, which got underway Thursday with other senior African policymakers, including Mohammed Ibn Chambas, President of ECOWAS Commission and UN Deputy Secretary general Asha-Rose Migiro in attendance.
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The Founder of the Mo Africa Foundation, Mohammed Ibrahim, is also in attendance, according to a joint press release issued here Thursday by the Danish and AU offices.
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"The International High Level Africa Commission meeting is aimed at brainstorming on the job creation and present concrete initiatives that can foster growth and development in Africa," the statement elaborated.
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This initiative adds into previous efforts, initiated by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, to take a fresh look at Africa's development challenges.
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Africa is being considered as a potentially high-growth economy but the lack of progress and its failure to create descent jobs for the youth have been blamed for incessant conflicts.