Accra, Feb. 26, GNA - Former President John Agyekum Kufuor arrived home on Thursday from Lilongwe, Malawi, after leading a team of former African heads of state at the invitation of the African Union (AU).

The seven-day mission of the team was to assess the political situation in Malawi and report their findings back to the Chairman of the AU, according to a statement isued by Mr Frank Agyekum, Spokesman for the former president.

Meanwhile, former President Kufuor has accepted an invitation to be a member of the African Forum, which is a network of former heads of state and governments of Africa noted for upholding democratic principles.

The invitation was extended to him by former Mozambican President Joachim Chissano who is the current chairman. Membership to the Forum is to open former African leaders who have worked to promote and defend the entrenchment of democratic governance in Africa.

The invitation to President Kufuor said in part that it was in recognition of his "contribution to the development of democracy in Ghana, the ECOWAS sub-region and the African continent."