Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel has invited Nigeria, Egypt, South Africa, Algeria, Senegal and Ghana (which currently holds the Chair of the African Union) to the Outreach Africa meetings that will be taking place in Heiligendamm.

The German G8 Presidency believes that Official Development Assistance (ODA) and debt relief alone will not suffice to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Africa. Economic growth and investment, ownership and reform processes in Africa are important prerequisites for that.

The Federal Chancellor sets great store by the fact that relations between the G8 nations and Africa are to be extended in the form of a partnership of reform. Our neighbouring continent of Africa needs a new qualitative approach. It is by no means a "lost" continent.

Africa : Good governance, sustainable investment, peace and security

The German Presidency wants to send a positive message expressing confidence in Africa’s future : The African countries need to develop structures that will encourage private investment, that is more democracy, less corruption, more ownership, more resource sovereignty.

Emphasis will be placed on the following four areas of action :
 Good governance
 Sustainable investment
 Peace and security
 Strengthening health care systems, fighting HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria

An important step that was taken at the Cologne Summit in 1999 was debt relief for the poorest of the poor. By adopting the Africa Action Plan at the 2002 Summit in Kananaskis the G8 pledged to support Africa’s reform processes as part of The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). Further steps were taken in Gleneagles in 2005 when multilateral debt relief and additional financial commitments were agreed.

The following will be taking part in the Outreach Africa meetings at the G8 Summit in Heiligendamm :
 President Mohamed Hosni Mubarak, Arab Republic of Egypt
 President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria
 Elected President Umaru Yar’Adua, Federal Republic of Nigeria
 President Abdoulaye Wade, Republic of Senegal
 President John A. Kufuor, Republic of Ghana (also Chair of the African Union)

 President Mbeki of South Africa will also be taking part. However, he will also be at the Summit in his capacity as representative of a big emerging economy. Source : G8 news, may 2007