Addis Ababa | January 29

VOA - African Union leaders opened a two-day summit in Addis Ababa Sunday with the election of a new chairman for the pan-African organization.

Benin's President Thomas Yayi Boni was selected chairman for the next year, taking over from Equatorial Guinea's President Teodoro Obiang Nguema.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was among the first speakers in the new AU headquarters financed and built by China, an African trade partner.

Ban told AU leaders the 25 upcoming elections for presidents, legislatures and local races in Africa this year must be conducted in fairness.