- President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania was on Thursday elected the Chairman of the 53-member African Union at the 10 heads of state and government in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.
President Kikwete succeeds President John Kufuor of Ghana. It was the turn of East Africa to hold the continental body's leadership this year.
The outgoing Chairman, who announced the news, congratulated his successor.
Libya, Lesotho and Cameroon were respectively elected first, second and third Chairpersons of the AU. Ghana would be going home with the post of a Rapporteur.
President Kikwete thanked his colleagues for electing him to lead the union faced with so many challenging issues of concern, especially the looming political bloody unrests in the neighbouring Kenya.
The new AU leader promised to foster peace and security initiatives in Africa.
Industrialisation in Africa is the theme of the Addis Ababa summit.
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.