The chairman of the Executive Council of UNESCO, Hans-Heinrich Wrede, has described the level of Senegal's educational programmes as "a model" in Africa.

Convinced that without education we cannot eliminate poverty, Wrede positively appreciated the action of President Abdoulaye Wade in this field before expressing the wish that Senegal serves as a model for African countries.

Wrede made the observation Thursday during a news conference at PANA headquarters in Dakar at the start of a three-day official visit to Senegal.

The Senegalese government has decided to allocate 40 percent of its budget in 2005 to education.

Touching on the issue of the freedom of the press in Africa, Wrede commended the "high level of the Senegalese democracy", considering that the signs of an efficient democracy are the freedom of the press, the separation of powers and defence of human rights.

The chairman of UNESCO's Executive Council Thursday held meetings with Senegal's ministers of national education, Moustapha Sourang, and culture, Safiétou Ndiaye Diop.

He later met with heads of UN agencies, and attended a meeting of the HIV/AIDS focal points of UNESCO offices in Africa before paying a visit to the museum of IFAN (Black Africa Basic Research Institute).