Mugabe calls for Union of African States

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has called for greater economic integration among African countries with the aim of creating a union of African States, the state-owned Herald newspaper reports .

Speaking at the African Economic Platform summit in Mauritius, Mr Mugabe added that regional groupings should work towards forming "a much more united African Union, call it if you want, Union of African States, with perhaps an authority called Government of African Union States and those other authorities being subordinate to that authority".

Mr Mugabe, 93, added: "When will that day come? We hope it will come in the lives of our children."