Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - Participants at the 43rd meeting of the Steering Committee of the New Partnership for Africa's Development  (NEPAD) started their proceedings onTuesday in Addis Ababa, the eve of the 18th summit of the African Union (AU).

The two-day meeting is expected to help examine the draft agenda of the 26th summit of the Guiding Committee of Heads of State and Government slated for Saturday in Addis Ababa, under the chairmanship of  Ethiopian Prime Minister, Melès Zenawi.

Participants in the meeting will also discuss the draft rules of precedure of NEPAD's governance structures which will be transmitted to the heads of state and government before the review of the budget drawn up for the year  2012 by NEPAD planning and coordination Agency headed by former Niger Prime minister, Ibrahim Assane Mayaki.

They will also make a ruling on the Southern Sudan Development Initiative and review the status of the implementation of the Presidential initiative of promoting infrastructure in Africa.

NEPAD Steering Committee made up of representatives of African countries, development partners and international institutions, meets twice a year, on the eve of each ordinary AU summit.

Pana 25/01/2012