An African Union summit began on Monday with Sudan facing criticism for its desire to assume the chairmanship despite ongoing violence in Darfur. Sudan is determined to take on the role, despite opposition from rights organizations and Western governments due to the atrocities in Darfur. Sudanese Foreign Minister Lam Akol believes that responsible AU leaders will not be swayed by external pressure, as the chairmanship was promised to President Omar al-Bashir a year ago, despite concerns over the violence in Darfur. Critics argue that rather than decreasing, the violence in the past year has actually intensified, with government-supported Arab militias being responsible for the deaths of thousands. Sudan's President, Bashir, has consistently prevented the deployment of UN peacekeepers to assist the African Union's military mission in Darfur, which currently consists of 7,000 soldiers and monitors. During the summit's opening speech, the AU's top diplomat, Alpha Oumar Konare, accused Sudan of targeting civilians in Darfur. Amnesty International warned that the AU would lose credibility if it elected Bashir as chairman while human rights violations continued in Darfur. Chad has threatened to leave the AU if Sudan's President Bashir is elected as chair, due to strained relations following the Darfur conflict. Egyptian Foreign Minister expects a struggle over Sudan's candidacy but believes the decision should be implemented unless the summit decides otherwise. Nigerian President is optimistic that a solution to the chairmanship issue will be easier to reach this year compared to last year. Diplomats stated that there has been no final decision made yet. Efforts are being made to endorse Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete as a potential option instead of Bashir. Western governments are reportedly advocating for Kikwete. British Africa minister David Triesman emphasized the importance of the African Union's success in international relations and urged careful consideration of decisions before the summit. A committee of seven esteemed individuals, which includes Obasanjo, will be addressing the Sudan issue on Monday during the AU summit in Addis Ababa. They will then present their recommendations to the full summit. The meeting will also cover topics such as raising a peacekeeping force for Somalia, addressing unrest in Guinea, discussing climate change, and reviewing the AU military mission in Darfur. However, the focus is expected to be on Sudan, as there is growing opposition to the country among AU governments. One African delegate expressed concerns about asking a country dealing with internal conflict to address all the other issues on the continent, but reassured that leaders are considering this factor and will find a solution.