MALABO (AFP) – Representatives from 55 African and South American countries opened a conference here Thursday calling for closer coopeation between the two continents, some criticising the model of Western powers.

Nigeria’s foreign minister Olugbenga Ashiru in his opening speech to the forum called for cooperation across the southern hemisphere.

His counterpart from Brazil, Antonio de Aguiar Patriota, seconded that view and also urged Africa to follow its own course.

“The destiny of the African continent rests in the hands of its leaders, it is not necessary to copy too much everything from Europe.”

Teodoro Obiang Nguema, the president of Equatorial Guinea, the forum’s host, voiced outright criticism of the West.

“A lot of Latin American countries have experienced and still experience the injustices of Western powers,” he said.

Obiang, who has ruled his country with an iron fist since 1979, had ahead of the meeting urged the two continents “to cooperate… to fight against this dependence on some powers in the North.”

The delegates to the forum on South America-Africa cooperation (ASACOF) will set a date for a third summit of heads of state from their two continents.