African Union: Ban Ki-moon urges respect for gay rights
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has urged African leaders to respect gay rights. He told the African Union Summit in Ethiopia that discrimination based on sexual orientation had been ignored or even sanctioned by many states for too long.
Ban Ki-moon told the various heads of states and governments that discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity "prompted governments to treat people as second class citizens or even criminals".
Homosexual acts are illegal in most African countries, including key Western allies such as Uganda, Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt and Botswana. Both the US and UK have recently warned they would use foreign aid to push for homosexuality to be de-criminalized on the socially conservative continent.
According to Ban Ki-Moon the Arab Spring, is a "reminder that leaders must listen to their people. He added that events have proven that repression is dead and police power is no match to people power seeking dignity and justice.
It is the first summit since the death of Libya's Colonel Gaddafi, who played a key role in the formation of the African Union. Heads of states never admitted it, but his eccentric manner and constant grandstanding at summits would often hold up any meaningful talk for hours. His absence would be discussed.
The growing tension between Sudan and South Sudan, the war in Somalia and the escalating violence in Nigeria are also expected to be discussed during the summit.
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