African Union prepares summit on Congo next weekAfrican Union African Union (AU), international organization established in 2002 by the nations of the former Organization of African Unity (OAU). The AU is the successor organization to the OAU, with greater powers to promote African economic, social, and political integration, Chairman Jakaya Kikwete President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete (born October 7 1950) is a Tanzanian politician and current President of the United Republic of Tanzania. Kikwete was born in Msoga, Bagamoyo District, Tanzania or as it was then known, Tanganyika. on Sunday said he was involved in intensive diplomatic efforts ahead of a summit next week in Nairobi on the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo. "It is our hope the Nairobi meeting later next week will come out with the road map on the way forward," Tanzanian Foreign Minister Bernard Membe Bernard Kamillius Membe (born November 9, 1953)[1] is the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Tanzania. Membe was appointed to the job by President Jakaya Kikwete (himself a former foreign minister)[2] told reporters. He was quoting Kikwete after the Tanzanian president held talks with French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and his British counterpart David Miliband on the crisis in the DRC DRC Democratic Republic of Congo DRC Down (Stage) Right Center DRC Director(ate) of Reserve Components DRC Disability Rights Commission (United Kingdom) . "The AU is seriously concerned over the latest developments and wants warring parties in the DRC to implement last Wednesday's ceasefire in line with the Nairobi and Goma accords," Membe said. A ceasefire declared Wednesday by rebel leader Laurent Nkunda's movement following the retreat of government forces in eastern DRC has so far held, triggering intense Western diplomatic activity aimed at containing the crisis. On Saturday, the pair of European envoys held talks with Congolese President Joseph Kabila Joseph Kabila Kabange (born June 4, 1971), known commonly as Joseph Kabila, became president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ten days after the murder of his father, in January 2001. , toured areas affected by the crisis in eastern DRC and held talks with Rwandan President Paul Kagame. The framework to stem the violence in the eastern provinces and disarm militias is contained in the January Goma agreement and the November 2007 Nairobi declaration. The Brussels-based think-tank International Crisis Group suggested Saturday that the United Nations should appoint a special envoy to monitor their implementation and ensure that past diplomatic efforts were not in vain. Membe said Kikwete had recently been in contact with Kabila and Kagame, as well as Kenyan Presidnt Mwai Kibaki Mwai Kibaki (born November 15, 1931) is the President of Kenya. Kibaki was previously Vice President (1978 - 1988), and has held several other cabinet positions, including Minister for Finance (1978 - 1981), Minister for Home Affairs (1982 - 1988) and Minister for Health (1988 - over the spiraling situation in the DRC. A Kagame envoy was expected in Dar es Salaam Dar es Salaam Largest city (pop., 1995 est.: 1,747,000), capital, and major port of Tanzania. Founded in 1862 by the sultan of Zanzibar, it came under the German East Africa Co. in 1887. on Monday, while Kabila was to send his on Tuesday to lay the ground for the Nairobi summit. No date has yet been confirmed for the Nairobi summit, seen as key step in defusing the crisis by bringing Kabila and Kagame to the same table. 
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