Rome (Fides Service) - To reduce the enormous gap between living standards in Africa and the rest of the world is the aim of NEPAD New Partnership for Africa's Development. In Africa the average life expectancy is 54, in Europe it is over 70; in Africa only 58% of the people have access to clean water; in Africa there are 18 telephones lines for every 1000 people, compared to the 567 lines for every 1000 persons in developed countries. The goal of the New Partnership for Africa's Development NEPAD, founded in Abuja, Nigeria in October 2001 by heads of state and government of South Africa, Nigeria, Senegal, Algeria and Egypt, is to reduce the enormous gap between living standards in Africa and in the most developed countries. Those countries which signed NEPAD affirm that Africa is rich in resources natural, human and cultural. NEPAD intends to form an alliance of African countries and an alliance of these countries with the world's most developed countries first of all to guarantee peace by putting an end to the many wars on the continent. The second aim is to promote good government in Africa, too often crippled by corruption and inefficiency which prevent the exploitation of resources. The third aim is to open world markets to African products, and remove market barriers which protect European and American products to the disadvantage of Africa's products. The fourth aim is to build new infrastructures in carious fields, health-care, hydroelectric power, telecommunications. The fifth aim is human development by investment in schools and education. So far 15 countries have joined NEPAD: Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Cameroon, Sao Tome and Principe, Ethiopia, Mauritius, Rwanda, Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia, Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa. (Fides Service 22/11/2002)