French President Jacques Chirac (R) sits next to Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasago, President of Equatorial Guinea,, during the opening ceremony of the Franco-African Summit in Bamako, Mali, December 3, 2005. Chirac told African leader on Saturday 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. Photo taken December 3, 2005. REUTERS/Luc Gnago Pictures of the Month December 2005 Pictures of the Year 2005