With the touchdown of the airplane taken by Zimbabwean President
Robert Gabriel Mugabe at Beijing airport on Friday evening, 47
delegations of the 48 African countries, including 41 heads of
state or government, have arrived for a landmark China-Africa
summit due to open Saturday.
Also arriving on Friday were leaders from 16 African nations.
Representatives from international organizations, including the
African Union and the United Nations, have also arrived.
The last delegation headed by Eritrean President Isaias
Afwerkiis expected to arrive early Saturday morning.
The two-day Beijing Summit of Forum on China-Africa Cooperation,
the grandest diplomatic event since 1950s, will highlight
"friendship, peace, cooperation, and development."
(Xinhua News Agency November 4, 2006)