German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday that large industrialised countries should be more open to transferring weapons as part of their development aid so African countries can battle militant groups. But we have to be honest - only where security is ensured can development take place," she said at the opening of a G20 conference on Africa in Berlin. She sketched out plans for a G20 'Compact with Africa' that moves away from past notions of development aid to look instead at opportunities to partner with African countries, many of which boast booming growth rates. "We need a sustainable, inclusive economic development for the whole world," she said. "We need an initiative that does not talk about Africa, but with Africa," she said.

Source: The Star June 13, 2017 08:37 UTC