African Union Summit

Special African Union meeting to focus on war

Article published on the 2009-08-31 Latest update 2009-09-01 06:58 TU

Libya's leader Muammar Gaddafi (R) talks to Algeria's president Abdelaziz Boutaflika (L) and Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir, Tripoli, 31 August 2009
(Photo: Reuters/Zohra Bensemra)

The African Union opened Monday in Tripoli to discuss the continent's troubles, focusing in particular on the conflicts in Sudan and Somalia. The meeting comes as Moamer Kadhafi celebrates 40 years of rule in Libya. The self- proclaimed “king of kings” has accused Israel of being behind all the troubles on the African continent.

The summit's agenda says the participants will examine ways to “further support the Somali transitional government, in particular by reinforcing institutions and by improving security in the country.”

Also on the agenda, the difficulties faced by the AU’s joint peacekeeping force with the United Nations which has been plagued by a lack of funding and equipement in Sudan's Darfur region.

Around 300.000 people have died in the six-year conflict that has displaced 2.7 million people.

African Union leaders are also expected to endorse a common stance on climate change, seeking billions of dollars in compensation from industrialised nations ahead of the big UN climate change conference to be held in December.

Libya has, after years of Pariah-state status, recently been enjoying improved ties with the West as well as growing influence in Africa.

Also present at the summit on Monday were Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir - despite the UN-backed International Criminal Court having issued a warrant for his arrest for his crimes in Darfur - and Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe. However South Africa’s Jacob Zuma, Senegal’s Abdoulaye Wade as well as Venezuelan Hugo Chavez, whose country has observer status at the AU, were among those missing.