PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR IS LAUNCHING A HIGH-PROFILE INTERNATIONAL GROUP TO MONITOR RICH NATIONS' PROGRESS IN MEETING THEIR COMMITMENTS TO AFRICA, BLAIR'S OFFICE SAID SUNDAY, ACCORDING TO AP. DOWNING STREET SAID THE AFRICA PROGRESS PANEL WOULD BE CHAIRED BY UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL KOFI ANNAN AND FUNDED BY MICROSOFT CORP. CHAIRMAN BILL GATES. MEMBERS INCLUDE ANTI-POVERTY CAMPAIGNER BOB GELDOF AND NIGERIAN PRESIDENT OLUSEGUN OBASANJO. A DOWNING STREET SPOKESWOMAN SAID BLAIR WOULD MAKE THE ANNOUNCEMENT DURING A SPEECH MONDAY IN LONDON. BLAIR MADE ALLEVIATING AFRICAN POVERTY A KEY GOAL OF BRITAIN'S 2005 LEADERSHIP OF THE G-8 GROUP OF RICH INDUSTRIALIZED NATIONS. A G-8 SUMMIT LAST JULY IN GLENEAGLES, SCOTLAND, GARNERED COMMITMENTS TO DOUBLE AID TO THE CONTINENT TO US$25 BILLION BY 2010 AND TO CANCEL THE DEBT OF THE MOST HEAVILY INDEBTED POOR NATIONS.
