Asia and Africa - strategic partnership between the two continents

More than 40 heads of state from Asia and &to=http:// english.pravda.ru/mailbox/22/101/399/15275_africa.html ' target=_blank>Africa ended two days of meetings, vowing to meet every four years to strengthen economic and political ties between the two continents.

Among other issues, the participants from over 100 countries pledged to work on natural disaster mitigation that plagues both continents, mindful of the recent tsunami disaster that affected a dozen Indian Ocean countries and claimed over 300,000 lives.

The leaders signed a declaration called the New Asian-African Strategic Partnership that promises to create stronger bonds between the two continents economically, politically and culturally, tells VOA News.

Leaders from Asia and Africa struck what they called a historic deal to build economic and political links on Saturday, and South African President &to=http:// english.pravda.ru/world/2001/09/06/14352.html ' target=_blank>Thabo Mbeki said millions of their people expected real action.

The declaration, after two days of talks in Jakarta attended by the leaders of three-quarters of the world's population, pledged to boost trade and investment ties and stressed multilateral approaches to solving conflicts.