Co-operation in Africa

IN A POSSIBLE harbinger of greater co-operation to come, especially in Africa, the Commonwealth and its French-speaking equivalent, la Francophonie, are joining forces for the first time to send a combined team to monitor the forthcoming elections in the Seychelles, at the island government's request.

Chief Emeka Anyaoku, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, yesterday called the move a "very significant development". He also denied that there was any institutional rivalry between his 54-nation grouping and the 49-member Francophonie.