Prospects of border-free trade across the African continent were on the agenda Sunday as the African Union kicked off its annual summit in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa. Delegates from the 54-member body are also due to elect a new head for its secretariat, the AU commission, as well as new members to lead the Peace and Security Council, which enforces AU decisions. AU commission chairman Jean Ping, who is running for re-election, is being challenged by South African Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is scheduled to attend, according to a report of DPA. The modern 100-metre high AU skyscraper is also set to be inaugurated. The US$200 Million project was funded by the government of China and designed by the Shanghai-based Tongji Design Institute.
