World leaders meet on Africa, food security at G8 summit

Leaders or representatives from the G8 industrialized countries, other invited countries, world organizations and other invited countries attend the Working Session on Food Security in L'Aquila, Italy, July 10, 2009, the last day of 2009 G8 summit and its related meetings. (Xinhua Photo)

U.S. President Barack Obama walks to the venue of the Working Session on Food Security, part of the Group of Eight (G8) meetings, in L'Aquila, Italy, July 10, 2009. (Xinhua Photo)

U.S. President Barack Obama (R) talks with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during the Working Session on Food Security, part of the Group of Eight (G8) meetings, in L'Aquila, Italy, July 10, 2009. (Xinhua Photo)

L'AQUILA, Italy, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Leaders of the Group of Eight industrialized nations and five emerging economies met Friday with their African counterparts to discuss the economic crisis and food security in Africa.

On the final day of the G8 summit, Africa and the impact that the global recession is making on the continent were at the center of a working breakfast attended by leaders of Algeria, Angola, Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and the African Union Commission.

The G8 heads of state and government and representatives of a variety of organizations, including the United Nations and World Trade Organization, also attended the breakfast.

Forty delegations representing almost 90 percent of the world economy and the main international organizations participated in the G8 summit's final working session later in the morning.

At that meeting, the G8 and G5 leaders were to meet with the African leaders to address food security.

The five major developing countries -- China, India, Mexico, Brazil and South Africa -- met with the G8 leaders from Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Canada, Russia and the United States during the past two days.

Their meetings focused on economic and financial issues, climate change, trade, and development in Africa.

Chinese President Hu Jintao missed the talks as he cut short his stay in Italy on Wednesday because of the riot in China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which left 156 dead and over a thousand injured.

State Councilor Dai Bingguo attended the meetings on behalf of Hu.