Some 21 African leaders and French president Jacques Chirac have arrived in Bamako, Mali, on Saturday to take part in a two-day Africa-France Summit that plans to tackle issues of African youth and immigration, dpa said. More than 60 per cent of Africans on the continent are under the age of 25 and suffer from high levels of unemployment. Many try to emigrate illegally to the West, as highlighted by a mass attempt of migrants to enter Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla in North Africa. The 23rd edition of the summit will also attempt to reinforce ties between France and African countries, some former colonies, as France attempts to reshape its role in the continent after more than 50 years of close patronage to its former African colonies. But France's recent decision to tighten its immigration laws last week coupled with last month's riots - the worst ever in France - raised questions on how France treats its mainly ethnic African and North African immigrant communities. --more 1455 Local Time 1155 GMT
