PRESS CONFERENCE SPONSORED BY MALI ON HUNGER PROJECT AWARD

26 September 1996

Press Briefing

19960926 FOR INFORMATION OF UNITED NATIONS SECRETARIAT ONLY

At a Headquarters's press conference sponsored by Mali, one of the winners of the tenth annual Africa Prize for Leadership for the Sustainable End of Hunger, former Mali President Amadou Toumani Toure, said he was proud to accept the award given by The Hunger Project, a non-governmental organization which was renowned and admired throughout Africa.

Mr. Toure shared this year's prize with Chief Bisi Ogunleye, the founder of the Country Women's Association of Nigeria. The Prize, which was created in 1987, has already been awarded to 16 other leaders, scientists and civic activists from every sector of African society.

Mr. Toure described how, in March 1991, he had led the coup that overthrew President Moussa Traore and ended 23 years of single-party rule in Mali. He was then elected President of the Committee of National Reconciliation, which led the effort to establish a multi-party democratic State in Mali. One year later, he stepped down, following the peaceful election of Alpha Ourmar Konare.

Since then, Mr. Toure said that he had devoted his time to improving the lives of the people of Mali and Africa. He accepted former United States President Jimmy Carter's invitation to lead the campaign to eradicate the Guinea-worm in Mali and to oversee the programme in 15 other African countries. Eradicating Guinea-worm disease had allowed the citizens of his country to lead more active lives.

Outlining his efforts to help children and end hunger and suffering in Mali, he set up the Children's Foundation in 1993 to promote commitments made at the United Nations World Summit for Children (New York, 1992). The Foundation's projects include a school for abandoned children, a vaccination programme and an AIDS education campaign. He had also helped to create a new system of community health centres in 300 provinces. Mr. Toure added that he would donate his prize money -- a fortune in his country -- to the Children's Foundation.

Mr. Toure said that, in recent years, he had continued to work closely with the Carter Centre in Georgia on conflict resolution in the Great Lakes region of Africa, especially in Burundi and Rwanda.

A correspondent asked how President Carter had contributed to the work Mr. Toure had done in Mali and other countries in Africa. He replied that Mr. Carter had been instrumental in changing the attitude of people infected with Guinea-worm disease. The former United States President had made a point

of visiting villages, because he was aware that education, sensitization and mobilization were important factors in ending the Guinea-worm epidemic, which was a public health crisis rather than a medical one.

Replying to a question about the recent expulsion of Malians from France, Mr. Toure said that he was hurt by the expulsion. For the past two decades, thousands of Mali workers had been employed in France, but recently high unemployment rates there had made it more difficult for immigrants to find work. Decision makers in Africa needed to establish credibility with other countries by formulating a clear plan for political and economic development. They should then try and build a national consensus to implement their plans effectively.

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