"[In] all the evolution of development thinking ... not so much has been done with direct reference to agriculture. [This] is surprising in the sense that ... poverty is in the proportion of 75 percent a rural problem. So if we are serious about poverty reduction, then, of course, we should focus much more on agriculture."

"To what extent does the media feel that its role is to move beyond disaster reporting to examining the deeper challenges behind the bad news and the possible solutions? What about reporting the good news--things that are working in Africa--instead of just seeing it as the continent where things go wrong."

"Women continue to face discrimination on a number of fronts--from the workplace to laws governing land ownership and inheritance. AIDS puts them at an even greater risk... In Sub-Saharan Africa, where more than three-quarters of all HIV-positive women live, almost 57 percent of adults living with HIV are women."

"The purpose of Asia-Africa cooperation is to share and make use of the Asian experiences for African development... Africa is a vital member of the international community. There is no stability and prosperity in the world unless the issues of Africa are resolved. African participation is crucial for meeting the challenges faced by the international community..."