Africa seeks greater role in international affairs

At the ongoing African Union (AU) summit in Kampala, Uganda, African leaders are being urged to push for Africa's interests on the international scene.

According to Jean Ping, chairperson of the AU Commission, Africa is increasingly becoming a formidable force on the international scene.

"Africa is gaining strategic importance and is thus attracting attention from a diversity of partners who are increasingly knocking at its doors and showing their interest in cooperating with the continent in mutually beneficial partnerships," he said.

Major world economies are already forging partnership with the continent. A series of summits between the continent and other parts of the world have taken place or are being planned, signaling Africa's increasing importance.

A series of summits are lined up this year. The third Africa-European Union Summit is scheduled for later this year in Libya. The second Afro-Arab Summit will also be held in Libya this year, 33 years after the first summit was held. Already other summits like the Sino-Africa summit have been held. The first high-level bilateral with the United States of America-AU meeting was held in April this year.