UN's Annan launches plan to aid Africa on climate

NAIROBI, Nov 15 (Reuters) UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan launched today a plan to help Africa fight global warming and criticised a ''frightening lack of leadership'' in confronting what he called one of the world's biggest threats.

''Global climate change must take its place alongside those threats -- conflict, poverty, the proliferation of deadly weapons -- that have traditionally monopolized first-order political attention,'' he told ministers at a UN conference.

Annan announced a plan by six UN agencies called the ''Nairobi Framework'' to help developing nations, especially in Africa, get more funds to promote clean energies such as wind and hydropower. He urged rich donor nations to contribute.

Annan also said the U.N.'s environment and development agencies were launching a scheme to help poor nations factor climate change into development plans, such as building roads, bridges or buildings to withstand more floods or droughts.

REUTERS SP MIR BST1348