The African Union (AU) started its second day of the 12th Summit on Monday, with leaders from the United Nations (UN), the AU, and the Arab League addressing hot issues including infrastructure, financial crisis and regional security and safety.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the summit, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said infrastructure development is key to Africa's economic growth and social progress.

"Africa needs good roads, schools and hospitals, as well as reliable and efficient water services, electricity grids and telecom networks, while information and communications technologies must also be a bigger part of Africa's future," said Ban.

"These remains the building blocks for job creation and the ability to compete in global markets."

He called on all parties to mobilize the resources and invest more funds to Africa's infrastructure building. "Investing in Africa's infrastructure is a cornerstone of Africa 's development," said the UN chief. "We must rededicate ourselves to this vital objective."

The UN chief said he was alarmed by the current grave international economic and financial crisis and its possible impact on the African continent.

"The global economic crisis is unprecedented in scale and scope...For a majority of people, particularly those in developing countries, the most painful and terrifying phase of the crisis has only just begun," Ban said.

The negative effects of the crisis will reach not only growth, trade and financial flows, but also Africa's fight against poverty and the likelihood of reduced official development assistance, said Ban.

In responding to the crisis, Ban urged the international community to take into account the needs of the poorest countries and produce stimulus packages to help achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

On hot regional security issues, Ban expressed pleasure in the political progress in Somalia, which had just elected a lawful president Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed.

At a press conference held in the afternoon, the UN chief congratulated the Somali people for electing a young and energetic new leader.

"I will have a meeting with the new Somali leader later here to discuss such issues as democracy and freedom for the Somali people and the issue of piracy off the Somali seas," Ban said.

He noted that the UN will seek to strengthen the AU peacekeeping mission (AMISON) in Somalia as well as help train Somali forces to guarantee security in the country.

In the speech, Ban urged the Sudanese government and the rebel groups to stop the conflicts immediately, so the peace process can be restored and civilian lives could be saved.

He asked the nations that had pledged peace-keeping troops in Darfur to deploy them as soon as possible.

On the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the UN chief said the nation has suffered some setbacks recently, but there is a dramatic turn for the better, yet the situation on the ground is still fragile.

The UN will strengthen the peacekeeping Mission in the DRC (MONUC) to better protect civilian population and provide humanitarian assistance.

Ban welcomed the national unity government of Zimbabwe as the first step toward full democracy, but he said there is a long way to go.

The UN will work with the mediator, the South African Development Community (SADC), on the process, and urged all sides to cooperate to let the desparately-needed humanitarian aid into the country.

The UN chief also talked about other pending challenges facing Africa and the world, such as climate change, high food prices and energy insecurity.

On the opening ceremony, Chairperson of the AU Commission Jean Ping said that Africa should step up infrastructure development in order to boost the physical integration of the continent.

"The choosing of this theme is a signal for the acceleration of physical integration of the continent and it reflected the determination to alternate from thinking to action in regard of improving African countries' infrastructure conditions," he said.

The AU chief added that efforts would be focused on specific projects, which constitute the core of concerns and the daily aspiration of African peoples.

Addressing the impact of the global financial crisis, Jean Ping noted that it had proved necessary for Africa's voice to be heard in the making of world economic decisions. He mentioned that the AU will seek participation at the G20 summit in London to represent the continent of Africa.

Talking about the food shortage confronted by the African peoples, Jean Ping said African countries will make medium and long-term plans to support the agriculture sector in order to tackle the problem of food insecurity.

Regarding the AU Commission, Jean Ping said it would seek institutional capacity building and shore up efficiency through investment on financial and human resources.

The AU chief also mentioned security situations in Somalia, Sudan's Darfur region and the Democratic Republic of Congo, calling for all related parties to make joint efforts to realize peace and security in those countries or regions.

The outgoing chairperson of the AU, Jakaya Kikwete, said that he was saddened by the recent developments in Madagascar, where a political turmoil is still going on.

"We are saddened by developments in Madagascar," the outgoing chairperson said at the ceremony.

Madagascar's opposition protests against President Marc Ravalomanana's government since last weekend have created a political crisis on the Indian Ocean island, killing more than 100people, and bringing the worst scenes of street violence since 2002, when Ravalomanana overthrew former president Didier Ratsiraka after a six-month standstill.

"I wish to take this opportunity to call upon military leaders of these countries to respect the Constitutions of their countries," Kikwete said.

He emphasized that the efforts to remove power from the democratically elected governments are unacceptable.

Secretary General of the League of Arab States Amr Moussa also delivered a speech on the opening ceremony, strongly criticized the Israeli attacks on Gaza, and called for an immediate ceasefire.

On the same day, the AU Assembly elected Libyan leader Muammar Khaddafi to be the rotating chairperson of the pan-Africa bloc for one year, succeeding outgoing Chairperson Jakaya Kikwete, the president of Tanzania.

The summit, slated for February 1 to 3 in the Ethiopian capital, is held with infrastructure development in Africa high on its agenda. The first day of the summit was devoted to a special session on the Union Government.

(Xinhua News Agency February 3, 2009)