Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, failing in his bid to stay on as chairman of the African Union for another year, said Sunday the pan-African grouping wasted time while failing to meet global challenges. On the first day of a summit in Addis Ababa, Malawi's President Bingu wa Mutharika was selected to succeed Gaddafi, even though diplomats said Gaddafi was seeking another term. The Libyan leader used his farewell speech to again urge African leaders to begin the process of political unification, which was a large part of his agenda during his chairmanship. He also criticized the AU for “tiring” him with long meetings and making declarations and reports without asking him. “It was like we were building a new atomic bomb or something,” he said, referring to meetings that had lasted long into the night and that he characterized as “really useless.” “The world's engine is turning into 7 or 10 countries and we are not aware of that,” Gaddafi said. “The EU is becoming one country and we are not aware of it. We have to get united to be united. Let's be united today.” An African unity government is a goal of the AU's founding charter goal and Gaddafi, supported by leaders like Senegal's Abdoulaye Wade, has been pushing for union for years, saying it is the only way Africa can develop without Western interference. The Malawian leader promised to make battling hunger a top priority. “Africa is not a poor continent but the people of Africa are poor,” wa Mutharika said.
