Ouattara outlines key policy areas as Africa prepares for the twenty-first century

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Summit on Africa in San Francisco. He concluded by recommending several policy actions essential to sustained growth and global integration. The full text of the address is available on the IMF's website (www.imf.org).

The image of an Africa ready to take off economically is being undercut by the image of an Africa increasingly mired, once again, in political turmoil, civil unrest, and armed conflict. Now is the time for the international community and regional groupings to intensify their efforts to secure lasting peace across the continent. And now is the time for Africa itself to say "enough." For only with peace can Africa attract the trade and capital flows it so desperately needs. And only with peace can Africa's citizens enjoy the benefits of sustained high-quality growth and join the global economy of the new millennium.

Ultimately, Africa holds its destiny in its own hands. What should it be doing? Besides maintaining macro-July 19, 1999 economic stability, it can help strengthen the virtuous 228 circle of better policies and higher growth by the intensified pursuit of good governance and by focusing, above all, on five key policy areas:

- ensuring a predictable environment for investment by promoting good governance, transparency, and accountability and by shunning all forms of corruption and cronyism. This...