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Mugabe arrives in Ethiopia for AU Summit
06 Jun 2011 at 14:09hrs | Views
President Robert Mugabe, has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for the African Union Extra-ordinary Summit, which is expected to discuss the situation in Libya as well as the peace and security situation on the continent.
He was met at the Addis Ababa International Airport by the Zimbabwean Ambassador to Ethiopia, Andrew Mutetwa, his deputy, Sam Mhango, Embassy officials and officials from the Ethiopian government.
The extraordinary summit, which is coinciding with the continental body's 48th anniversary marks the first major step by the pan-Africanist body towards resolving the crisis in the oil rich North African country.
It will provide an opportunity to review the situation in Libya on the basis of the work being carried out by the AU high level ad hoc committee on Libya.
The summit is expected to challenge the rationale behind the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, which has been used to bombard Libya by the US and NATO forces.
Although the western-sponsored resolution had provided for a no-fly zone over Libya to protect civilians, it is claimed the efforts that were being carried out by the African Union, which sought to tackle the upheaval in the North African country as an African problem have not been recognised.
As part of its ongoing efforts to find a lasting solution to the problem, in April the AU dispatched an ad hoc high level committee on Libya to meet the warring parties and had to to seek permission from Nato to fly into Libya. The committee visited Tripoli where it met Libyan leader, Col Gaddafi and later held a meeting with rebel leaders in Benghazi.
In the early stages of the conflict, the AU Peace and Security Council had assessed the situation and resolved to back Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's clampdown on the insurgents who he claimed were threatening the stability of Libya.
Some analysts believe the summit will be able to send a clear message to the west to stop meddling in African affairs and give regional and continental groupings an opportunity to find home-grown solutions to their problems.
He was met at the Addis Ababa International Airport by the Zimbabwean Ambassador to Ethiopia, Andrew Mutetwa, his deputy, Sam Mhango, Embassy officials and officials from the Ethiopian government.
The extraordinary summit, which is coinciding with the continental body's 48th anniversary marks the first major step by the pan-Africanist body towards resolving the crisis in the oil rich North African country.
It will provide an opportunity to review the situation in Libya on the basis of the work being carried out by the AU high level ad hoc committee on Libya.
The summit is expected to challenge the rationale behind the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, which has been used to bombard Libya by the US and NATO forces.
Although the western-sponsored resolution had provided for a no-fly zone over Libya to protect civilians, it is claimed the efforts that were being carried out by the African Union, which sought to tackle the upheaval in the North African country as an African problem have not been recognised.
As part of its ongoing efforts to find a lasting solution to the problem, in April the AU dispatched an ad hoc high level committee on Libya to meet the warring parties and had to to seek permission from Nato to fly into Libya. The committee visited Tripoli where it met Libyan leader, Col Gaddafi and later held a meeting with rebel leaders in Benghazi.
In the early stages of the conflict, the AU Peace and Security Council had assessed the situation and resolved to back Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's clampdown on the insurgents who he claimed were threatening the stability of Libya.
Some analysts believe the summit will be able to send a clear message to the west to stop meddling in African affairs and give regional and continental groupings an opportunity to find home-grown solutions to their problems.
Source - Byo24News
