AU summitt opens in Ethiopia
The African Union -AU- 14th summit has started in Ethiopia with a rift on the chairmanship of the union.Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's likely bid to stay as AU chairman is set to overshadow talks on the continent's many conflicts.
According to the AU system of rotating regional blocs, the chairmanship is supposed to be handed over to a Southern African leader.
Consensus is emerging around Malawian President, Bingu wa Mutharika, but some diplomats fear Colonel Gaddafi will put up a fight to keep the chairmanship.
Voting for the position of chairman takes place this afternoon.
Colonel Gaddafi has already set the tone for his tenure by claiming to be the king of kings and vowing to achieve the United States of Africa project he has championed for years.
President Rupiah Banda is among heads of state and government attending the summit whose official theme is information technology and United Nations.
