African leaders are meeting in Nigeria Monday to discuss ways of implementing projects to increase economic activity on the continent.
The two day meeting in Abuja, Nigeria's capital, brings together the heads of the state of about 20 countries.
The summit is being held under the auspices of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).
Leaders are expected to discuss peace and security, agriculture and market access, as well as economic planning.
The French news agency AFP reports South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki met for closed-door talks with Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo Sunday ahead of the summit.
Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien, who will host the group of seven leading industrial nations plus Russia in a summit in Canada in June, will hold talks with six African leaders in Nigeria on April 5.
Some information for this report provided by Reuters and AFP.