Libyan leader Gaddafi with traditional leaders at the African Union summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He was elected Chairperson of the African Union on February 2, 2009. Gaddafi has pledged to work towards realizing a continental government.
Originally uploaded by Pan-African News Wire File Photos
Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has vowed to pursue his vision of a United States of Africa, in his inaugural address as the new chairman of the African Union.
Col Gaddafi was elected by the heads of state of the 53-member union behind closed doors at a 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.
Col Gaddafi replaces the Tanzanian President, Jakaya Kikwete.
Wearing a golden brocade robe and cap, Col Gaddafi sat with the traditional African leaders who accompanied him at the front of the room, rather than in the seat for the Libyan delegate.
New rules
"I shall continue to insist that our sovereign countries work to achieve the United States of Africa," he said in his inaugural speech.
But he admitted that African leaders were "not near to a settlement" on the issue.
He told fellow summit leaders that his unity project would be approved at the next meeting in July unless there was a majority against it, reports the BBC's Elizabeth Blunt from Addis Ababa.
The AU normally relies on consensus in reaching decisions, but Col Gaddafi introduced what he described as the Islamic concept that "silence is approval," she said.
Under this principle, at least two-thirds of AU leaders would have to actively oppose Col Gaddafi's proposals, rather than simply ignoring his ideas, she added.
'Fantasy'
But an expert on the African Union called the vision of the United States of Africa a "ludicrous fantasy on the part of [Col] Gaddafi."
Kathryn Sturman at the South African Institute of International Affairs said many African leaders would not be prepared to give up their national sovereignty to join the proposed single-state federation proposed by the Libyan leader.
Ms Sturman said the chair of the group does not have any singular decision-making power, and cannot push through any changes without the consensus of the other leaders.
Compromise
During closed-door talks on Sunday, African leaders again postponed Col Gaddafi's dream of closer union.
In a compromise, the summit agreed to transform the African Union Commission - which oversees the AU - into an AU authority with a broader mandate, outgoing chair 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.
Malawi's President Bingu wa Mutharika said governments wanting greater unity could go ahead on their own, without worrying about splitting Africa.
Erratic
The chairmanship of the African Union is a rotating position held by heads of state for one year.
It was the turn of a North African leader to chair the bloc, and Col Gaddafi was the only one present.
However, some African leaders believe the Libyan leader is too erratic to be AU chairman.
Before he arrived at the summit, he circulated a letter saying he was coming as the king of the traditional kings of Africa, our correspondent says.
Last August, he had a group of 200 traditional leaders name him the "king of kings" of Africa.
The summit's main agenda - to boost Africa's energy and transport networks - was pushed largely to the fringes, weighed down by the grim realities of the global economic downturn.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/7864604.stm
Published: 2009/02/02 19:17:41 GMT
Kadhafi takes African Union reins
ADDIS ABABA (AFP) - - Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi took the reins of the 53-nation African Union at a summit Monday amid concerns over deadly unrest in Madagascar and a bid to indict Sudan's president for war crimes.
Kadhafi , elected in a closed-door vote at the summit in the Ethiopian capital, vowed to press ahead with plans to create a "United States of Africa" despite other leaders' reluctance to back his objective.
The summit, which ends on Tuesday, has been overshadowed by political unrest in Madagascar, torn apart in a power struggle that has killed 68 people so far.
Ban Ki-moon told the summit he was "particularly concerned" about the crisis, and urged that all parties "address their differences peacefully and through existing constitutional mechanisms."
However, Ban steered clear of any mention of a controversial request by the International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor for an arrest warrant for Sudan's President Omar el-Beshir for alleged war crimes in Darfur.
AU Commission President Jean Ping told leaders earlier that the bloc was trying to lobby international support for a 12-month stay in judges' consideration of the request, "to give a greater chance to the peace process".
Ban hailed moves toward forming a new government in Somalia, following the election of a new president last week, and praised Zimbabwe's progress toward forming a unity government to end months of political crisis.
He also noted that the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo had taken "a dramatic turn for the better" following a joint offensive by government and Rwandan forces which led to the arrest of a key rebel leader last month.
But he warned that Africa would face tougher times ahead as nations try to cope with the fallout from the global economic downturn.
"In Africa, its negative effects will not only be on growth, trade and financial flows, but also the fight against poverty and the likelihood of reduced official development assistance," Ban said.
Some nations were unhappy about the choice of Kadhafi as the bloc's chairman. Under AU rules, the post rotates among Africa's regions, and this year was set to go to a North African leader. Kadhafi was the only one present.
But Southern African leaders had lobbied for a leader from their region, as the next summit moves to crisis-hit Madagascar, according to delegates to the summit.
"I hope my term will be a time of serious work and not just words," Kadhafi said in his inaugural speech.
"I shall continue to insist that our sovereign countries work to achieve the United States of Africa," he said, admitting that African leaders were "not near to a settlement" on the issue. "We are still independent states."
The 66-year-old has for years sought to boost Africa's profile -- and his own influence -- by pushing for closer ties on the continent.
Hoping to burnish his standing, he recently had a group of traditional leaders name him the "king of kings" of Africa, and brought an entourage of seven local monarchs dripping in gold jewellery with him to the summit.
But many African heads of state are loathe to relinquish any of their sovereignty, and during closed-door talks on Sunday, they again postponed his dream of closer union.
The summit's main agenda -- to boost Africa's energy and transport networks -- was pushed largely to the fringes, weighbed down by the grim realities of the global economic downturn.
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