MALI: Anti-globalisation forum comes to Africa

Africa, the world's poorest continent, for the first time is playing host to the World Social Forum, the anti-globalisation movement set up as a counterweight to a forum of the world's rich and powerful.

Up to 30,000 people are expected in the Malian capital Bamako in the coming days for the African chapter of the WSF, a gathering of non-governmental organisations, fair trade advocates and critics of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), which is to hold new rounds of talks this year in Caracas and Karachi.