Insecurity a top issue as African leaders meet in Ethiopia

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — African leaders are meeting Saturday at a summit that is expected to discuss the continent’s most pressing challenges, including a new wave of coups in West Africa and a slow response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The summit in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, is also expected to gather support for Africa’s push toward permanent representation on the United Nations Security Council. The summit is also expected to discuss the matter of Israel’s status within the African Union, according to the agenda set by the continent-wide bloc. The African Union, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary in July, has often been criticized for its apparent inconsistencies in responding to sporadic crises on the continent of 1.3 billion people.