French President Jacques Chirac told African leaders yesterday that rich nations must find more innovative ways to fund development in the world's poorest continent and pledged that France would champion their cause.

Chirac's visit to the Mali capital of Bamako for the 23rd Africa-France summit is his first trip outside Europe since a hospital stay in September. In his address to heads of state and government leaders from at least 35 countries, he talked about France's commitment to Africa.

More than a third of Africa was once under French colonial rule. France still has military bases in several countries on the continent and continues to be a major investor in nations including Senegal and Ivory Coast.

Chirac said that with an average growth rate of five per cent in recent years, Africa was on the path to development but that the international community needed to do more. He also stepped up his campaign for an international tax on airline tickets to fund development aid, a plan which has failed to win the widespread European backing it needs, inviting interested states to a meeting in Paris in February next year.

Mali is Chirac's third foreign trip since September's hospital stay after he complained of headaches and eye problems. Recent ill health and defeat in a referendum on the European Union's charter in May have left him increasingly marginalised ahead of presidential elections in 2007.

France has said it plans to impose the new tax in 2006, while Britain intends to redirect some of the money it raises from existing taxes on air travel, but the idea has run into opposition in the United States and with airline companies.