Franco-African Summit observes minute of silence for Kabila

Heads of state and government from France and Africa on Thursday observed one minute’s silence here in memory of Laurent Desire Kabila, president of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The call for a minute’s silence, made by Organisation of African Unity (OAU) Chairman Gnassingbe Eyadema at the opening session of the 21st Franco-African Summit in Yaounde, was seen as confirmation that Kabila had died.

There has been much uncertainty over the fate of the DRC leader, who was shot by one of his bodyguards on Tuesday. The Congolese government has been sticking to its statement that Kabila was wounded despite comments by Congolese minister delegate for defence Godefroid Tcham’lesso that he was dead.

At the summit’s opening ceremony, French President Jacques Chirac said in an apparent reference to the situation in the DRC that France condemned any resorting to violence, seizure of power, violation of borders and other acts of war.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan reaffirmed the United Nations’ commitment to a peaceful solution of the crisis in the DRC, where what began as a rebellion about three years ago quickly became a broader conflict involving about six countries.

Some 24 heads of state and government are attending the meeting, which was scheduled to focus on globalisation, but is now expected to devote much of its time to the DRC. The leaders were expected to issue a declaration on the situation in that country at a closed session on Thursday afternoon.

On the issue of globalisation, Chirac said France was willing to support Africa because, despite the wars and political upheavals that have been observed, there were encouraging processes on the continent. Globalisation, he said, was irreversible. "There is no alternative. Globalisation does not resolve all problems, it sometimes creates some, but withdrawing into oneself is no longer possible," he said.

President Paul Biya of Cameroon said African countries should be given time to adapt to globalisation so that their cultures are not swamped and so that their democratic processes can proceed more smoothly.