DELEGATES ARRIVING; CONFERENCE IN SESSION; M. SIDIKOU SPEAKING; M. AMADOU GOAH, CHAIRMAN OF THE AFRICAN GROUNDNUT COUNCIL, SPEAKING; VARIOUS DELEGATIONS.




Initials RM/VS/MR/SS



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Background: REPRESENTATIVES FROM GAMBIA, MALI, NIGER, NIGERIA, SENEGAL, CHAD AND CAMEROUN HAVE BEEN MEETING IN NIAMEY, NIGER, ALL THIS WEEK FOR THE 9TH SESSION OF THE AFRICAN GROUNDNUT COUNCIL. THE SESSION WAS OPENED ON MONDAY BY THE NIGER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS, M. ABDOU SIDILKOU, WHO EMPHASISED THE DIFFICULTIES OF THE WORLD MARKET FOR GROUNDNUTS IN HIS OPENING SPEECH.

M. SIDIKOU SAID GROUNDNUTS ACCOUNTED FOR 70 TO 80 PER CENT OF THE EXPORTS OF SOME OF THE COUNTRIES REPRESENTED ON THE COUNCIL. "IT IS URGENT TO ORGANISE INFORMATION, URGENT TO ORGANISE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND URGENT TO ORGANISE THE DEFENCE OF THE GROUNDNUT BY PUBLICITY AND OTHER MEANS, "HE SAID.

M. AMADOU GOAH, CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNCIL, SAID THE COUNCIL WOULD CONSIDER IN THE SESSION PROPOSALS MADE BY AN AD HOC COMMITTEE WHICH MET IN LAGOS, NIGERIA, LAST JUNE. THE PROPOSALS AIM AT CO-ORDINATING INTERNATIONAL MOVES BY THE MEMBER STATES, PROMOTING SALES AND PUBLICITY, MAKING MARKET STUDIES AND CO-ORDINATING THE SALES POLICIES OF NATIONAL MARKETING BODIES.

THE CONGO-KINSHASA, WHICH IS A MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL, DID NOT ATTEND THE MEETING.