New York  - African leaders warned Monday that the financial crisis enveloping advanced economies around the world should not spark a pull-back of aid to poorer countries.

Africa is in danger of falling far short of meeting a series of dramatic poverty-reduction goals set by the United Nations in 2000. Leaders warned during a one-day conference on Africa that they would not be able to get on track without help from the international community.

"We want developed countries to deliver" on their promises of more aid said Jakaya Kikwete, Tanzania's president and chair of the African Union, at a press conference in New York.

"If the crisis has to continue it will certainly have serious implications," Kikwete said, but added that he expected the financial turmoil to calm down over the coming months.

Last week witnessed a series of bankruptcies and massive government bailouts in the United States, which led global stock markets on a wild ride and sparked concerns that the credit crisis could have far-reaching effects for the global economy.

"We need to prevent our development efforts from being swept away by the tide of financial markets," said Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, Germany's minister for economic cooperation and development.

Donald Kaberuka, president of the African Development Bank, said the financial turmoil showed just how interconnected the world had become, and quipped that New York's losses last week showed Africa may be a better place to do business than many investors think.

"Many more people have lost money in this city than in Africa over the past couple of weeks," Kaberuka said. (dpa)