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ADDIS ABABA, June 13 (AFP) - Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo arrived here Thursday morning for a brief official visit to Ethiopia.

Obasanjo was met at the airport at 10:00 am (0700 GMT) by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, according to airport sources.

The Nigerian president is due to deliver a speech to delegates at a conference organised by the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) with representatives from African civil society.

The conference, the second of its kind, has brought together representatives of African civil society and the OAU with a view "to reinforcing the interface between civil society and the African Union," due to replace the OAU in July, a statement issued by the OAU has said.

On a two-day visit to Namibia last month, Obasanjo issued a joint statement with his Namibian counterpart Sam Nujoma calling for "African governments and all segments of civil society ... to ensure the success of NEPAD," the homespun development plan for the continent.

NEPAD, which offers good governance in return for investment and development aid, is the brainchild of Obasanjo, Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki and Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade.

It will be a major theme at next month's summit of the Group of Eight (G8) industrial powers in Canada. - Nampa-AFP

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