African Union chief hospitalised in Japan

African Union chief hospitalised in Japan

• AU nudges Mugabe towards unity government

• Mugabe calls reporters 'bloody idiots' in shock outburst

• Mugabe on voicemail as African leader seek audience

• Gaddafi: Don't disturb Mugabe with elections

• Mugabe calls for African unity

• Mugabe, Gaddafi want federal Africa government

• Mutambara: Zimbabwe's failure is AU's demise

AFRICAN Union Commission chief Jean Ping was taken to hospital on Monday in Japan where he is attending an extended session of the Group of Eight summit, a Japanese official said.

Ping was to be treated at a hospital in Sapporo, the closest major city to the summit venue, after falling sick, said the foreign ministry official, who declined to be named.

"We formed a group of necessary people in charge of taking care of him, and I presume that he is receiving medical treatment by now," the official was quoted by the AFP news agency as saying.

The official refused to comment on the nature of Ping's illness or condition.

Ping joined leaders of several African countries attending Monday's session of the G8 summit, which was focussed on aid and development in Africa.

Ping is expected to play a major role in pushing for a political breakthrough in Zimbabwe where the AU is seeking to push the ruling Zanu PF party and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) into forming a unity government.

Ping's mystery sickness follows hard on the heels of Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa's stroke suffered during an African Union summit in Egypt last week. Mwanawasa was leading regional criticism of President Robert Mugabe's government. He remains in a French hospital, battling for his life.
JOIN THE DEBATE ON THIS ARTICLE ON THE NEWZIMBABWE.COM FORUMS
newsdesk@newzimbabwe.com