The African Union Commission Chairperson, Dr. Jean PING, met with a delegation of Libyan tribal leaders, today, 26 May 2011, at the headquarters of the African Union in Addis Ababa. The delegation handed over to the AUC Chairperson a copy of the outcome of a conference held on May 5-6, 2011 under the theme: "Unity and Reconciliation" which called for the cessation of hostilities by the coalition forces striking Libyan cities, and the creation of an enabling environment for national reconciliation and the safeguarding of Libya's territorial integrity and national unity.

The delegation briefed Dr. Jean PING on the suffering endured by the Libyan people as a result of the air strikes and naval blockade on Libya and urged the African Union to intervene to put an end to this situation.

The African Union Commission Chairperson expressed the deep concern of Africa in the face of the persistent crisis and indicated that the African Union would pursue its efforts at every level in a bid to find a political solution to the Libyan crisis, based on its roadmap adopted on March 10, 2011. In this context, he emphasized the urgent need for the Libyan protagonists to immediately implement a cease fire and an end to air strikes so as to allay the suffering of the Libyan people who are paying a heavy price for this bloody war and the creation of the necessary conditions for a political solution to the crisis and national reconciliation.

He further reiterated the AU principle which was against all forms of external intervention in African countries and informed the Libyan delegation that the AU was going to redouble its efforts to defend the validity of its roadmap for a final resolution of this crisis, especially in the wake of the AU Extraordinary Summit which was mainly devoted to the Libyan crisis.