Celebrating Africa Day at the United Nations, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Thursday that the continent, while moving toward democracy, still faces enormous political and economic challenges. “Although destructive conflicts persist, their number has decreased and peaceful democratic governance has taken root in many countries,” Annan, who is traveling, said in a statement. “In Burundi, the peaceful and democratic conclusion of the transitional process was a milestone for that country and hopefully for the future of the entire Great Lakes region.” The secretary-general singled out GuineaBissau and the Democratic Republic of Congo for their commitments to democracy and hailed Liberia for electing its first female president this year. “The United Nations will continue to assist the African people as they build on this progress,” said Annan. “A new Peace Building Commission, the Democracy Fund, and Human Rights Council have improved the U.N.'s ability to respond to Africa's agenda,” he said. The secretary-general also listed several problem areas in Africa, including the Ethiopia-Eritrea border dispute, conflict in northern Uganda, continuing violence in Sudan's Darfur region, and drought in the Horn of Africa.
