AU to hold annual summit in Libya over Darfur

ADDIS ABABA, May 19, 2005 (Xinhua) — The African Union (AU) said here Thursday it will hold its annual summit in the Libyan port city of Surt on July 4-5 to spur talks over Darfur.

Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir attends an African mini-summit on Sudan’s war-torn region of Darfur in Tripoli, May 17, 2005. (AFP).

AU spokesman Adam Thiam told Xinhua that more than 40 leaders from across Africa will attend the summit to debate a wide range of issues on the continent’s agenda.

He said the crisis in Sudan’s western Darfur region will be at the heart of discussions of the two-day summit.

The AU previously selected Khartoum for hosting this year’s summit.

However, the AU spokesman said Khartoum will probably host the 2006 AU summit.

On Tuesday, a six-way African summit on Darfur wrapped up in the Libyan capital Tripoli with leaders agreeing to start a new round of talks between Darfur rebels and the Sudanese government in Nigeria on June 1.

Clashes flared up in Darfur in February 2003 when local farmers took up arms against the government, accusing it of neglecting the barren area.