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(LUSAKATIMES) Gaddafi elected AU chairman

Gaddafi elected AU chairman
February 2, 2009

Some of the Chiefs who were invited by Libyan President Muarmar Gaddafi at the special session on the formation of the African Union Government at the United Nations building in Addis Ababa on Sunday Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has been elected as chairman of the 53-nation African Union.

Col. Gaddafi was elected by delegates at the AU summit in Ethiopia. A BBC correspondent at the summit says Col Gaddafi was seen to be the obvious choice, but some delegates are uneasy about his nomination.

AU spokeswoman Habiba Mejri-Sheikh said Col. Gaddafi was elected “by the heads of state in a closed-door session, for a one-year period”.

“He is currently addressing the assembly as president, to outline his programme and his intentions,” she said.

Col. Gaddafi replaces the Tanzanian president, Jakaya Kikwete.

In its earlier sessions, AU delegates called for a lifting of sanctions against Zimbabwe.

The call followed the announcement on Friday that the opposition would be joining a unity government.

On Sunday, the summit debated a Libyan-backed proposal to set up a single government - the United States of Africa.

In a compromise, the summit agreed to transform the African Union Commission, which oversees the body, into an AU Authority that would have a broader mandate, Mr. Kikwete said.

“In principle, we said the ultimate is the United States of Africa. How we proceed to that ultimate - there are building blocks,” Mr. Kikwete said.

Labels: AU, MUAMMAR AL-GADDAFI

posted by MrK @ 8:48 AM