Accra, July 1, GNA - The 9th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) opened in Accra, Ghana, on Sunday.

President John Agyekum Kufuor, President of AU; President Alpha Oumar Konare, President of the African Commission, and Dr Ahmed Esmat abd al-Meguid, Secretary General of the Arab League, addressed the opening session.
Dr Rose Asha-Mirigo, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, read Secretary-General Mr Ban Ki-Moon's speech while China formally presented a miniscule of the new AU complex it has promised to build for the Union at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

A number of African Heads of State and Government are in Accra for the Summit. They include President Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria; Prime Minister P. Mosisili of Lesotho and Dr Isatou Njie, Vice President of The Gambia; President Francois Bozize of Central African Republic; President Abdolaye Wade of Senegal; President Pedro Pireriz of Cape Verde; President Levi Mwanawasa of Zambia and Deputy Prime Minister Pee Pee Jaun Ahmed of Mauritius.

Also present are President Ravaloma Nana of Madagascar and President Blaise Compaore of Burkina Faso; President Umar Yar-Adua of Nigeria; President Faure Nyasingbe of Togo and President Sidi Mohammed Ould Cheikh Abdullahi of Mauritania.

The others are President Sassou Ngueso of Congo Brazzaville; President Yayi Boni of Benin; President Teodoro Obiang Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea; Prime Minister Absalom Dlamini of Swaziland; President Iddris Debbie of Chad and President Mohammed Abdelaziz of Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.

The rest are President Ahmed Mohammed Sambi of Comoros Island; President Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi; President Moi Kabaki of Kenya; President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania and President Omar Bongo of Gabon.

Fifty-two African Heads of State and Government or their representatives are in Ghana to participate in the Session from July 1 to July 3 2007.
The Summit is discussing the creation of a union government for Africa.