those funding agencies which had participated in the Roundtable organized in his country as a follow-up to the Geneva Conference. That meeting had taken stock of the situation and identified errors and inadequacies in order to determine the areas which should be strengthened for the support of funding agencies to the development efforts of his country. - 54 - 209. The representative of Sierra Leone stressed the need for African countries to press on with those initiatives and solutions which had been identified as necessary for alleviating suffering in the region. He appealed to the international community to accelerate its co-operation and exercise greater flexibility in helping Africa attain its priority development goals; to win that support, Africa had to demonstrate a pre­ paredness to solve its own problems. 210. The representative of the Sudan stated that drought was one of the most important problems facing the African continent, since it had led to a considerable decline in foodstuffs and animal wealth. In the Sudan, more than 5 million citizens were affected by the drought and more than one million children suffered from malnutrition and disease. His country had requested assistance from the international community and friendly nations, which had responded favourably; he hoped their assistance would continue so that the Sudan would overcome the present crisis and its side-effects. 211 , He also mentioned that the Sudan had received more than one million refugees from the neighbouring African countries and, in reference to Africa's debt and its effects on the implementation of development plans, requested OAU and ECA to continue their efforts to solve the problem through negotiations between international creditors and African borrowers. 212. The representative of Senegal said that the present Conference marked a decisive stage in Africa's search for solutions to the crises engulfing 
**Analysis**
The text discusses the challenges faced by African countries, including drought, malnutrition, and debt, and the need for international cooperation and support to overcome these crises. The representatives of Sierra Leone, Sudan, and Senegal stress the importance of addressing these issues to alleviate suffering and promote development.

**Category**
Humanitarian aid and relief, Economic development