African leaders commit to accelerating continent's industrialization

ADDIS ABABA, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- African leaders have committed to "far-reaching and firm decisions" to accelerate industrialization as well as economic diversification and trade on the continent.

The African Union (AU) said in a statement issued Thursday that during the AU Extraordinary Summit on Industrialization and Economic Diversification held last week in Niger, the leaders reiterated to accelerate industrialization and economic diversification, with priorities on health and pharmaceutical, automotive, minerals benefaction, food and nutrition, and apparels of cotton industries in order to reduce the continent's external dependency.