Gaddafi plots against Malawi over AU chairmanship

ADDIS ABABA, Wednesday

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi wants to stay on as African Union chairman despite a rule on rotating the post.

Diplomatic sources at the African Union in Addis Ababa say Gaddafi is moving to fight for extension of his chairmanship and seeks to reactivate the United States of Africa agenda which was rejected last year.

AU chairmanship has rotated yearly by five geographical regions and in 2009 Libya took the chairmanship on behalf of Northern Africa region.

This year chairmanship turn is for Southern Africa and Malawi has been endorsed by Southern Africa regional bloc SADC to the job.
Malawi’s President Bingu wa Mutharika is preparing to take over the post.

Prepare agenda

The 53-nation African nations’ ambassadors gathered in Addis Ababa AU headquarters on Wednesday to prepare agenda for the leaders’ meeting scheduled this weekend hinted Libya is indicating unusual move to stay in the chairmanship position.

Diplomats refused to give either recorded information or be named over the issue. Southern Africa’s most influential leader Jacob Zuma was on stopover in Tripoli Libya on his way to Switzerland Davos World Economic Form on Wednesday.

Reports said Mr Zuma and Gaddafi had a discussion on the peace and security effort of African Union and other relevant issues.

Earlier Gaddafi himself met with Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni and President Francois Bozize of Central African Republic to discuss AU summit preparation. Gaddafi has a very strong influence and support in Africa and is lobbying better than Malawi.