Dark clouds hung over Speke Resort Munyonyo at yesterday's opening of the heads of state summit of the African Union at a conference Uganda is hosting on the plight of internally displaced persons after it emerged that the current chair of the AU and Libyan President Mummar Gaddafi had skipped the event.

No official statement was issued to explain why the Libyan leader did not show face even though he was expected to open yesterday's meeting.

But what was more odd was the lukewarm attendance by Africa's top leaders, with only five presidents, including host President Museveni in attendance.

Where are the presidents?

Only presidents Robert Mugabe (Zimbabwe), Rupiah Banda (Zambia), Mohammed Abdelaziz (Western Sahara) and Sheik Sharif Ahmed (Somalia) managed to make the trip to Kampala.

But some Uganda government officials admitted that no word had come from Tripoli over Col. Gaddafi's decision not to attend the high profile summit. Libya's Ambassador to Uganda Abdallah Bujeldain was equally unresponsive on the matter and declined to speak to this newspaper when contacted. "Thank you very much. Have a good afternoon," is all he said before turning away from our reporter.

"Do not read too much in [Gaddafi's absence]," said International Cooperation Minister Henry Okello Oryem. "African heads of state are very busy people. And I must tell you that we invited every leader. Gaddafi is not the only one who didn't come."

The summit, touted as historic, has been the result of three years of intense negotiations and is expected to produce the first legally binding international instrument on internal displacement.

AU top officials moved to downplay the significance of the President's no-show as questions continued to abound over the political commitment by member states in producing lasting solutions to Africa's refugee and IDP crisis.

AU Commission Chairman Jean Ping told reporters that the busy travelling schedule of Africa's heads of state could explain why many did not turn up.

"You have so many meetings that some of these heads of state are divided in several meetings," he said, but added: "We have 46 countries here represented by their prime ministers, some by their vice presidents and some by the ministers in charge of these questions."

Conspiracy theories

With Col. Gaddafi absent, President Museveni chaired the heads of state Summit. However, there were visible signs of disquiet over Gaddafi's absence. One delegate from a West African nation who begged anonymity claimed yesterday that the absence of several African presidents "had something to do with Gaddafi not coming."

Although Daily Monitor could not independently verify the claims, there have been disagreements between President Museveni and Col. Gaddafi hinged on the latter's quest for a United States of Africa and the former's vehement objection to the proposal.

Museveni counsels

Mr Museveni told delegates that the conference was a welcome move and offers Africa an opportunity to find solutions to root causes of displacement on the continent.

"We need to ensure that conflicts do not take place and when they happen, they should be resolved peacefully," he said.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon in a speech read on his behalf by envoy Antonio Gutterres said: "Together we can forge a better future for Africa."

He added: "We must avoid politically motivated violence which has forced millions of people to get displaced without protection."

Africa is home to an estimated 11.6 million IDPs scattered across 19 countries.

What Museveni said

Africa's political leadership must rise and say no to conflicts.

Leaders should embrace mediation as a key tool of conflict resolution.

"I have been part of these conflicts and I know a bit of what I am talking about."

Conflicts and war to blame for refugee crisis.

Failure to define conflicts: Conflicts are either just or unjust.

Europeans believed they had a right to colonise and dominate other people.

If there is to be war, the cause must be right and the method used must be right. This is what distinguishes a freedom fighter from a terrorists.

Uganda has been giving land to refugees.

Look at possibility of equipping refugees with practical skills like carpentry, computer, weaving.

Refugees can be absorbed in urban areas because in rural areas, they will have conflicts over land with the indigenous people.