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UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called for national unity in Sudan in an effort to stop a possible partitioning of the country by the 2011 referendum.

Ban said that the United Nations would work with the African Union (AU) in order to prevent secession by the southern Sudan region.

"The UN has a big responsibility with the AU to maintain peace in Sudan and make unity attractive," he told AFP and Radio France Internationale on Saturday.

"Whatever the result of the referendum, we have to think how to manage the outcome. It is very important for Sudan but also for the region," he added.

North and south Sudan ended more than two decades of war between Muslims and Christians over the independence of the oil-rich south with the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Accord in 2005, which paved the way for a partial autonomy of the south.

The UN chief, who was speaking before a three-day African Union summit in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, also remarked that a possible separation of the north and south Sudan would create several issues.

"There are many fundamental issues: citizenship, borders. All should be resolved so that the referendum could be held peacefully. I'm going to discuss these issues extensively with the African leaders," he went on to say.

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has already agreed to recognize the autonomy of southern Sudan in the event of a pro-independence vote in the ballot next January.

Leaders from the 53 AU member-states are to choose a new annual president for the bloc to replace the current chair, Libyan Muammar Gaddafi, during the 14th summit that starts Sunday, January 31.

In addition to the summit's agenda, participants are expected to discuss Africa's pressing issues, including Somali unrest, the power struggle in Guinea and political rows in Madagascar.