Sudan’s president leaves for Libya to attend AU Summit

KHARTOUM, July 3, 2005 (Xinhua) — Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir left here Sunday for Libya to attend the fifth Summit of African Union which begins on Monday in Sirte, coastal city of Libya.

The two-day summit, which is expected to be attended by 51 presidents and heads of state, will discuss political and economic issues, conflicts and civil wars in Africa.

Sudanese officials said here Sunday that Al-Bashir who was accompanied by his foreign minister would address the summit on the political developments in Sudan, especially after the signing of the peace agreement in Nairobi and the ongoing efforts to form a government of national unity.

Among the issues the African leaders are expected to discuss are ways to reduce the emergence of military coups in Africa, infrastructure, and consolidating the intra-African trade to boost the economic integration in the continent.

The AU summit will also discuss a report of AU Security and Peace Council on the process of reforming the United Nations.

Already AU foreign ministers have agreed to seek two permanent seats and five rotating seats for the continent on an expanded UN Security Council. However, an AU official said the candidate countries had not yet been agreed.

The main contenders are South Africa, Nigeria and Egypt, analysts say.

A split might come during the summit in Libya on July 4-5 when the group has to find a common position on the UN reform plans, especially when it comes to designating candidates to the UN Security Council.