African leaders have begun a two-day meeting as the continent grapples with coups, conflicts, political crises, and regional tensions.
Ahead of the meeting in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Abeba, African Union Commission president Moussa Faki Mahamat expressed concern about the violence engulfing several countries, both in Africa and around the world.
Sudan was in flames, according to Faki, who also mentioned the threat in Somalia, eternal tensions in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the terrorist danger in the Sahel, and Libya’s ongoing turmoil.
“The resurgence of military coups, pre- and post-electoral violence, humanitarian crises linked to war, and the effects of climate change are all very serious sources of concern for us,” said the AU chair.
A mini-summit aimed at relaunching the DRC’s peace process, which included the Congolese leader and his Rwandan adversary, began Friday on the outskirts of the main AU sessions and was scheduled to continue Saturday.
However, the 55-member bloc has long been condemned for being ineffective and unable to take strong action in the face of recurrent confrontations and power grabs.
Gabon and Niger will be absent after being suspended for coups last year, joining Mali, Guinea, Sudan, and Burkina Faso.
The issue in Senegal, sparked by President Macky Sall’s last-minute decision to postpone this month’s elections, is also expected to be highlighted. Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh was among those who attended.
Another crisis has been avoided by defusing tensions over the one-year rotating AU leadership, which is presently held by Comoros President Azali Assoumani.
The transition had long been stalled by a dispute between Morocco and Algeria, the North African region’s heavyweights who are set to take over this year.
