20110522 all africa Addis Ababa — The African Union has called an extraordinary summit to seek a political solution to the ongoing civil war in Libya.
The Africa Union Commission said on Saturday that the summit will be held in Addis Ababa on May 25 and 26 and a number of Heads of States are set to attend.
The meeting will focus on Libya and review the progress and challenges that faced the African Union panel in its attempt to resolve the crisis.
AU spokesperson Nourdin Mazine told the Nation that the commission was currently working on the details of the meeting.
However, a statement from AU chief Jean Ping said that there wasn't going to be any major shift on the union's stand on the Libyan crisis, adding that next week's summit will only follow up on previous African Union Peace and Security Council decisions.
Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni and South Africa's Jacob Zuma, who were in the AU panel to Libya, will attend the meeting.
The summit will also consider other crises on the continent -- including the situations in Somalia, Sudan and Cote d'Ivoire -- and try to mobilise political support from member states.
On Saturday, the African Union Peace and Security Council also held a meeting with a visiting United Nations Security Council delegation in a bid to bridge differences over the handling of the Libyan crisis.
The AU has been opposed to the UN Security Council -endorsed military action on Libya.
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