Africa's opportunity at G8 summit.

When leaders of the world's richest nations, the G8, meet for their annual jamboree in Evian, France, this month (June), will they have the time or the inclination to pay any heed to Africa's requirements? African leaders, through the New Partnership for African Development (Nepad) will be there in force but will they be there as participants or merely as VIP spectators?

The signs do not look promising. The developed countries will have their hands full dealing with the aftermath of the Iraq war and the threats posed by last month's terrorist strikes in Saudi Arabia. More ominously, for the first time since the end of the Second World War, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) is in serious danger of cleaving in two.

The US' belligerent stance as the world's sole superpower and the widely perceived attempt by the Anglo-American alliance to carve up Iraq and perhaps the rest of the Middle East has alarmed Russia, France and Germany. There is talk of forming a military and economic European block independent of the US.

These issues will be uppermost in the minds of delegates as they gather in Evian. For French President Jacques Chirac, hosting the summit will provide the ideal platform to reassert the global importance of 'old Europe' and forge a new leadership role for the 'coalition of the unwilling' as France, Germany and Russia have been dubbed.

In this highly charged atmosphere, will Africa matter beyond the usual diplomatic platitudes? Most observers think not, despite the fact that Nepad was (and still is) high on the original agenda. There might be a little more money towards the campaign against Aids but most, if not all new development funds are likely to be directed towards rebuilding Iraq and therefore claiming a stake in the region. African leaders might be told to go away and sort out the conflicts in the DRC and Cote d'Ivoire and bring Robert Mugabe to heel before serious discussions on Nepad objectives can begin.

AFRICA AS FOCUS OF NEW IDEOLOGICAL BATTLE

But there is another, more positive scenario to consider. Chirac, Germany's Schroeder and Russia's Putin opposed the war on Iraq by taking the moral high ground. Most of Africa also opposed the war on the same grounds thereby adding their weight to the European side of the scales. They will and should expect some reciprocity.

In addition, Chirac has already made it clear that he will use the summit to attempt to force through agreements on other moral issues such as the environment, biodiversity, cultural diversity and poverty reduction, particularly I in providing clean water for all. While these issues are likely to raise US hackles, they impact directly on Africa.

Chirac will expect Nepad to make a strong case in support of such proposed agreements as the Convention on Biodiversity, the Global Convention on Cultural Diversity and a Constitutional Charter on the Environment. He will also get strong support from Africa on his proposal to introduce an international tax on the profits realised from globalisation to be used for poverty reduction. With Africa firmly on his side, Chirac's claims to a moral global leadership will be immensely strengthened. Thus, instead of Africa being marginalised at the G8 summit it can become the focus of the new ideological/moral battle that is unfolding.

USING THE OIL 'WEAPON'

For its part, Africa can contribute to the moral crusading by demanding fairer trading opportunities and more financial support in establishing infrastructure. After all, Nepad is in essence about business, not aid. Africa wants access to a bigger slice of the European market than the sliver it is now getting. If Europe is prepared to open the doors of its markets, especially in the agro sector, a little wider, the difference in African living standards will be immediate and immense.

In return, African oil producers, who are becoming important global players as a group, could be persuaded to lend their support to OPEC's musings about designating oil prices in euros rather than dollars. Although this is a far-fetched scenario at present as the US will not allow it, still the thought is there. Europe is Africa's biggest oil purchaser and it is not beyond the realms of possibility that sufficient momentum can be generated to support oil pricing in euros. If that day ever dawns, the whole global economic system would be turned upside down and the US, with its trillion dollar deficit, would find itself in very serious economic difficulties.

On balance therefore, although on the surface its seems that Africa might be a marginal issue at the GS summit in Evian, in reality, it has the possibility of becoming the key, if understated, issue. A great deal will depend on the strategic thinking of African leaders, their negotiating skills and their ability to use whatever small platform they are provided with to broadcast a big message.

Unusual circumstances provide unusual opportunities. The Evian G8 summit takes place amid a situation of global uncertainty and this could be Africa's best chance to begin to lever itself out of dependency.