President Mugabe, was seen off at the Harare International Airport by Government officials and service chiefs.

PRESIDENT Mugabe arrived in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa yesterday to attend the 18th summit of the African Union.

He was met at the Bola International Airport by Zimbabwe's Ambassador to Ethiopia, Dr Andrew Mutetwa, Foreign Affairs Minister Sibambarashe Mumbengegwi who led the advance team and embassy officials.

The President is today expected to join his counterparts at the official opening of the massive new multi-million dollar AU headquarters built by the Chinese government as a gift to the people of Africa.

The new state-of-the-art complex is built a few metres north of the old headquarters.

The summit officially starts tomorrow.

President Mugabe, who is also the Head of State and Government and Commander in Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces was seen off at the Harare International Airport by Government officials and service chiefs.

Vice President Mujuru is the Acting President.

The AU Summit of Heads of State is expected to deliberate on various issues of international concern, especially security matters, following the wave of uprisings in North Africa that led to the ouster of leaders in Egypt and Tunisia and the eventual killing of Libya's Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.

 There have been reports that some civic organisations in Zimbabwe working with MDC formations have been lobbying the AU Summit to put Zimbabwe on its agenda.

In a statement on Thursday Zanu-PF Secretary for Information and Publicity, Cde Rugare Gumbo said AU leaders should be wary of the Western funded political parties such as the MDCs in Zimbabwe, which he said were agents of foreign interests seeking a return of colonialism.

 As the summit kicks off the battle for the top job at the regional bloc is the hot topic among delegates.

Incumbent AU Commission chairperson Mr Jean Ping has reportedly clinched the Francophone vote, while South Africa's Home Affairs Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma expects strong support from Anglophone countries.Dr Dlamini-Zuma has the nod from most Sadc countries.