Africa Shocked by Violence in SA

(PANA)—The African continent is "shocked" by the xenophobic attacks in South Africa, the African Union (AU) President, Tanzanian Jakaya Kikwete, said here Friday after meeting the Committee of African heads of state examining the project for a Pan-African government.

Kikwete told a news conference at the end of the mini-summit, also attended by South African President Thabo Mbeki, that the meeting was "shocked" by the violence.

The meeting, however, said that the massacres were not part of the South African government policy but acts of vandalism.

The AU chairman added that the violence was a great disappointment at a time whe n Africa was trying to formulate a Pan-African government.

In attendance at the Ngurdoto summit were Presidents Umaru Yar’Adua of Nigeria ( who cut short his stay to attend the burial of 46 dead Nigerian soldiers Friday) , Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and Ethiopian Prime Minister Melès Zenawi.

Regarding the calendar for the setting up of the Pan-African government, Kikwete said that the AU Commission would examine the issue and make a clear proposal to the organisation’s summit slated for July in Egypt.

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