African summit under pressure from Kadhafi

Kadhafi was elected president of the African Union in February, and the self-styled "king of kings" is using his term to press his scheme for African unity under a stronger AU executive, despite strong objections from key countries including South Africa, the continent's biggest economy.

His drive has already diverted attention from trouble spots like Mauritania, due to hold elections in July after a coup last August, or Guinea-Bissau, where elections were held last weekend after the president's assassination.

Ousted Madagascar leader Marc Ravalomanana has come to plead for tougher action to return him to power, while rights groups are urging the AU to abandon its reticence over the international war crimes warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir, who will also be attending.

African Government

If Kadhafi has is way, those issues will take a back seat to his plans to group the AU's existing organs under a single authority with more meaningful executive powers.

"We need to resolve this, even if we have to take it to a vote," Kadhafi told a preliminary ministerial meeting Sunday. "If two thirds agree, the remaining third must respect the decision of the majority."

Sirte -- Kadhafi's hometown that he has built into an ultra-modern administrative centre -- is draped with banners to encourage the delegates, running from the inspiring "Africa is hope" to the menacing "Death to Africa's enemies".

The city squeezed between the desert and the Mediterranean is festooned with twinkle lights and curbside laser shows that bely the severity of the tensions among the 53 AU members.

Resolution of crisis

AU Commission chairman Jean Ping has already made clear that he feels the continental bloc's priorities should focus on resolving the political and armed crises plaguing Africa.

In what delegates said was a tense opening session to the ministerial talks Sunday, Ping pointed to the ongoing unrest in Sudan and Somalia -- where the AU has a 4,300-strong peacekeeping force -- as examples of the work facing the bloc.

"The overall situation on the continent remains alarming, with the persistence of coups d'etat or unconstitutional changes" in government, he said, referring to Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.

"It's nothing less than a worrying, regressive political evolution that calls for a coherent response on the part of the competent organs of our Union," he said.

War crimes defiance

Beshir's presence will also highlight defiance of the warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur.

"We look to African leaders to deepen the AU's commitment to supporting mechanisms, such as the ICC, that provide justice to African victims of the most serious human rights abuses," said Georgette Gagnon, Africa director at Human Rights Watch.

The official agenda of the three-day summit is less controversial, centring on boosting investment in agriculture on the continent.

Kadhafi has also invited other world leaders including Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Italian leader Silvio Berlusconi to make appearances. Diplomats said Monday that Kadhafi could have other "surprise guests" in Sirte, without giving any clues.