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AU chief urges Kenya resolution Kenya overshadows African summit
(30 minutes later)
The crisis in Kenya is expected to dominate an African Union summit in Addis Ababa. African leaders have begun their summit in Ethiopia but violence in Kenya is not on the formal agenda.
Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki is among more than 40 heads of state gathering in the Ethiopian capital for the three-day meeting. On the eve of the summit, AU commission chairman Alpha Oumar Konare said it was up to Africa to help Kenya resolve its problems, after last month's elections.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is also expected to call for a peaceful resolution to the violence that has claimed up to 900 lives.
The opposition says the government of Mwai Kibaki rigged the poll.
Mr Kibaki is among more than 40 leaders present at the African Union summit in Addis Ababa.
But opposition leader Raila Odinga, who says he won last month's presidential election, has not been invited.But opposition leader Raila Odinga, who says he won last month's presidential election, has not been invited.
The AU commission chairman says it is up to Africa to help Kenya resolve a dispute that exploded into violence. Mr Konare, the AU's chief executive, criticised the 53-member union for not doing enough to address issues in Africa and around the world.
"Today it is the responsibility of the African Union to solve this problem," said Alpha Oumar Konare, the AU's top executive.
He was referring to the inter-tribal violence that has killed close to 900 Kenyans in the past month, and forced tens of thousands to flee their homes.
Mr Konare criticised the 53-member union for not doing enough to address issues in Africa and around the world.
No 'blank cheque'No 'blank cheque'
While the billed theme of this year's summit is industrialisation, Kenya is likely to be a focal topic. While the billed theme of this year's summit is industrialisation, Kenya is likely to be dominating thoughts.
Jendayi Frazer, the top US envoy to Africa, on Wednesday described the forced removal of people from Kenya's Rift Valley as ethnic cleansing. On Wednesday, Jendayi Frazer, the top US envoy to Africa, described the forced removal of people from Kenya's Rift Valley as ethnic cleansing.
The (Kenyan) government will not be given a blank cheque at this summit AU Commission memberThe (Kenyan) government will not be given a blank cheque at this summit AU Commission member
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is expected to tell the organisation of the need for a peaceful compromise in a country whose stability is seen as key for the region. Mr Ban is expected to tell the organisation of the need for a peaceful compromise in a country whose stability is seen as key for the region.
"The Kenyan crisis is a serious one and we cannot simply condone what the Kibaki regime is trying to feed us," one member of the AU commission told the AFP news agency."The Kenyan crisis is a serious one and we cannot simply condone what the Kibaki regime is trying to feed us," one member of the AU commission told the AFP news agency.
"The government will not be given a blank cheque at this summit.""The government will not be given a blank cheque at this summit."
Sudan and SomaliaSudan and Somalia
The AU's peacekeeping operations in Sudan and Somalia are also expected to be on the agenda.The AU's peacekeeping operations in Sudan and Somalia are also expected to be on the agenda.
Kenya's feuding leaders may not be meeting over tea in Addis Ababa Kenya's leaders met in Nairobi, but the opposition is not invited now
The AU and the UN have promised to create the world's largest peacekeeping force in Darfur to replace the troubled region's current undermanned and under-equipped AU force.The AU and the UN have promised to create the world's largest peacekeeping force in Darfur to replace the troubled region's current undermanned and under-equipped AU force.
Mr Ban is expected to arrive in Addis Ababa for talks with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir about the proposed 26,000 joint force. Mr Ban is expected to have talks in Addis Ababa with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir about the proposed 26,000 joint force.
Peacekeeping in Somalia will also be on the agenda during the summit, as it was last year, with members keen to strengthen the small Ugandan and Burundian forces in the country.Peacekeeping in Somalia will also be on the agenda during the summit, as it was last year, with members keen to strengthen the small Ugandan and Burundian forces in the country.
But the AU is plagued by bureaucratic problems, says the BBC's Will Ross in Addis Ababa.But the AU is plagued by bureaucratic problems, says the BBC's Will Ross in Addis Ababa.
Scathing reportScathing report
Our correspondent says much of the discussions this week in Ethiopia will focus on the internal workings of the AU - which has been described in its own report as dysfunctional.Our correspondent says much of the discussions this week in Ethiopia will focus on the internal workings of the AU - which has been described in its own report as dysfunctional.
The report described a poorly-functioning institution where senior officials in Addis Ababa were bogged down in bureaucracy, while there was an unhealthy culture of colleagues not talking to each other.The report described a poorly-functioning institution where senior officials in Addis Ababa were bogged down in bureaucracy, while there was an unhealthy culture of colleagues not talking to each other.
The report noted 21 countries were more than a year behind with their payments to the AU, including Libya and Egypt.The report noted 21 countries were more than a year behind with their payments to the AU, including Libya and Egypt.
If Kenya's inter-tribal violence is overlooked, our correspondent adds, it will not be the first time that urgent problems are sidestepped at such meetings.If Kenya's inter-tribal violence is overlooked, our correspondent adds, it will not be the first time that urgent problems are sidestepped at such meetings.
At the last AU meeting six months ago, the whole three-day summit was dedicated to discussing the idea of a United States of Africa, with little time spent on sensitive issues such as peacekeeping in Darfur and Somalia and the crippling economic crisis in Zimbabwe.At the last AU meeting six months ago, the whole three-day summit was dedicated to discussing the idea of a United States of Africa, with little time spent on sensitive issues such as peacekeeping in Darfur and Somalia and the crippling economic crisis in Zimbabwe.