Mugabe 'flies in, flies out'

President Robert Mugabe has left Harare for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for the African Union summit, just hours after his arrival from a long holiday in Asia, The Standard said on Sunday.

Mugabe, 92 was in the Far East from his annual holiday since mid-December.

While on holiday, the nonagenarian also visited China for bilateral talks with President Xi Jinping. He also flew to Mali for the 27th edition of the France-Africa Summit.

Mugabe has been criticised for spending most of his time outside Zimbabwe when the country is experiencing a number of problems associated with the collapse of the economy, the report said.

A Sunday Mail report said "weighty matters" awaited Mugabe in Ethiopia, including the appointment of a new AU Commission Chairperson to replace South Africa's Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

The readmission of Morocco into the continental bloc was also another matter.

A delegation of senior State officials accompanied the veteran leader.

The summit, set to run from January 30-31 was themed: "Harnessing the demographic dividend through investment in the youth."