AU selects new leaders

The continent's heads of state selected new leaders for the African Union at the organization's annual summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The new chairman of the AU is Tanzanian president Jakaya Kikwete.

The new chairman of the AU Commission and effectively leader of the organization is Gabon's foreign minister Jean Ping. Ping will take over from Alpha Oumar Konaré, who headed the AU's executive branch since 2003.