The ideas and innovations presented in the series reflected topics covered in the G8 discussions and focused on the same issues, including energy efficiency, environmental protection and the situation in Africa.

In her presentation, Thaninga Shope-Linney, NEPAD General Manager Communications and Outreach, gave a brief overview of the NEPAD initiative and the achievements to date. She pointed out that Africa as a continent was achieving steady economic growth year on year. She compared the 5.2% growth of 2004 to the almost 5.9% growth of 2007.

Ms Shope-Linney said that through the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and the concerted efforts of the African Union, Africa was also beginning to see progress on the political front. No new conflicts were registered on the continent and current conflicts were receiving the undivided attention of the African Union.

On the African partnership with the G8, she said that that while it was important to increase intra Africa trade and to accelerate investment between African countries, it was also necessary to recognise that the relationship with G8 partners and Africa was still important to Africa and to the partners themselves. To this effect, Africa must continue interacting with the partners and urging them to meet their commitments to Africa.

Peter Conze, head of the African department for the German Society for Technical Cooperation (GTZ), which supports NEPAD, stressed the necessity of placing the continent on the global agenda, saying that, “the focus on Africa at this Summit has created a new awareness for Africa.”

Peter Krämer, Managing Director of the Hamburg shipping company Marine Service GmbH, represented the UNICEF initiative “Schools for Africa“. He demanded that the second Millennium Goal, which stipulates a common right to education, be met. “Access to education for all is the key to solving global problems.”

Dr. Thomas Heath, Technical Director at Wavegen, a subsidiary of Voith Siemens Hydro Power Generation GmbH, presented an innovation in the power generation sector with the development of power plants using wave energy, “which could supply around 2,000 households”.

“There are many islands in Europe, but also around the world which are waiting for us to commission a pilot power plant”, he said.

The presentation of these ideas created much interest among journalists from around the world. The International Media Service, which provided online facilities for the more than 3,000 journalists who attended the Summit, was accessed around 2,000 times daily during the G8 Summit. Source : NEPAD, june 15, 2007