text: decision by the Heads of State and Government of OAU to focus on economic issues bore witness to the concern of African Governments for genuine economic development in the region. The Lagos Plan of Action and the Final Act of Lagos had been adopted to guide and expedite the transformation of African economies and improve the quality of life of Africans. They required collective efforts, regardless of political, ideological and economic barriers, to chart the immediate and long-term evolution of African economies. African countries must mobilize all their national resources to produce the goods which they consumed domestically. Intra- African economic co-operation in programme and project design and implementa­ tion must be vigorously pursued, and African States must support existing instruments of intra-African co-operation. 170. While expressing appreciation to the members of the international community who had responded to the appeal for food and other materials essential to the millions of Africans affected by drought and famine, he pointed out that Africa's mounting external debt needed a long-term solution. The industrialized countries had always adopted a collective position on the terms and conditions that should apply to their loans; the developing countries had adopted individual positions, and that had weakened Africa's bargaining power. 171. The International Monetary Conference on Reforming the Inter­ national monetary system, which had been called for by the Non- aligned Movement, would give the international community an opportunity to review existing institutions, including IMF, and restructure them in order to enable them to respond effectively to the needs of the developing countries. . 172. The next speaker, the Executive Secretary of ECA, said that the response of the international community to the present drought in Africa had been extremely positive. The response to the previous year's Special Memorandum had strengthened the belief of most Africans and their Govern­
analysis: The text discusses the economic development of Africa, highlighting the need for collective efforts to improve the quality of life of Africans, intra-African economic cooperation, and a long-term solution to Africa's mounting external debt. It also touches on the response of the international community to the drought in Africa and the need for a review of existing institutions to respond to the needs of developing countries.