The 16th African Union (AU) summit opened today in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa. In the two-day summit, the African leaders will discuss peace, security and stability on the continent. The summit's theme “Towards Greater Unity and Integration through Shared Values,” is likely to be overshadowed by heated discussion on a number of thorny issues. These include the political crisis in Cote d'Ivoire, the social unrest in Tunis and Egypt, the post-referendum reconstruction in Sudan and the deteriorating situation in Somalia.