African Union meets on Libya in Pretoria

South African president Jacob Zuma is hosting the African Union’s high-level panel on Libya in Pretoria on Wednesday. Congo Brazzaville's Denis Sassou Nguesso, Mali's Amadou Toumani Touré, Mauritania's Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz and Uganda's Yoweri Museveni will be present.

Reuters/Ntswe Mokoena/GCIS

During the six months of fighting in Libya, Jacob Zuma made two visits to Tripoli in a vain attempt to broker an African peace plan.

Moamer Kadhafi enthusiastically accepted what was called the roadmap.

But the rebel National Transitional Council rejected it because it did not demand Kadhafi’s departure.

As recently as last week, South Africa’s cabinet was calling for an inclusive settlement in Libya.

It is withholding diplomatic recognition of the rebel-led government in Tripoli until an attempt is made to achieve this.

South Africa has attracted African criticism for supporting the United Nations security council resolution for a no-fly zone over Libya.

But Pretoria’s criticism of Nato’s aerial bombardment of Kadhafi’s military installations has put it at odds with Western powers.

 Zuma says a great of bloodshed could have been saved if the AU had been given the space and opportunity to find an African solution to an African problem.

The Pretoria meeting today is expected to underline that sentiment – and make yet another call for elements of Kadhafi’s power architecture to be included in the Libyan government.