WASHINGTON, April 14, 2007 - The heads of the World Bank and African Development Bank and the European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid joined forces Saturday night in calling for more resources for Africa.
Louis Michel, the EC Commissioner, Donald Kaberuka, President of the African Development Bank and Paul Wolfowitz, World Bank President made the call after talks during the Bank/IMF's Spring Meetings.
Paul Wolfowitz said the meeting underlined the key message of this weekend's Bank/IMF Spring Meetings - that Africa was at a turning point.
“There are a growing number of African countries who've been doing what we've been asking them to do and its time now for the donors to step up and give them the resources that they need and that has been promised to them,” Wolfowitz said.
Speaking after the meeting, Louis Michel said the people of Africa were waiting for “progress and prosperity.”
The President of the African Development Bank said now was “an extremely important time for Africa.”
“Africa is making progress and we would like to maintain the momentum and it is time to re-double our efforts in that area,” Kaberuka said.
Michel said the talks centered on planning for boosting and focusing on priorities for Africa.
“I was also very happy to thank Paul Wolfowitz for the very strong partnership we had in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We went together to engage a lot of money before the end of the year to show the dividends of peace and of cooling down the situation in Congo - which is really promising.” 
Michel said the three sides had “all to make good use of the Development Committee” (the policy making body of the Bank and IMF) to push for Africa.
Kaberuka said the main item on the agenda for the Spring Meetings was Africa and the Bank's Africa Action. 
“I commend the Africa Action Plan which Paul Wolfowitz has presented. It shows all the priorities and we want to stay focused on this issue, which matters for Africa,” he said.
“Africa is making progress and we would like to maintain the momentum and it is time to re-double our efforts in that area,” Kaberuka said.
Michel said the talks centered on planning for boosting and focusing on priorities for Africa.
“I was also very happy to thank Paul Wolfowitz for the very strong partnership we had in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We went together to engage a lot of money before the end of the year to show the dividends of peace and of cooling down the situation in Congo - which is really promising.”
Michel said the three sides had “all to make good use of the Development Committee” (the policy making body of the Bank and IMF) to push for Africa.
Kaberuka said the main item on the agenda for the Spring Meetings was Africa and the Bank's Africa Action.
“I commend the Africa Action Plan which Paul Wolfowitz has presented. It shows all the priorities and we want to stay focused on this issue, which matters for Africa,” he said.
