Finance ministers meet in St. Lucia

Commonwealth finance ministers meeting in St. Lucia have made an urgent appeal for strong action to boost the economies of member countries.



Addressing the summit yesterday, Zambia\'s finance minister Ng\'Andu Peter Magande told his colleagues that the prosperity of the developing nations was under threat, particularly in light of rising food and energy prices.



He said one credible solution to the problem would be for Western countries to provide more assistance to boost productivity in the developing world.



Mr. Magande also made an impassioned appeal for fair trade for developing nations.



Other issues being discussed at the conference include human dignity, inclusiveness and the need for reform in international institutions.