ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (CNN) -- African leaders have chosen Libyan President Moammar Gadhafi as chairman of the African Union, according to Ethiopian and Libyan official news agencies. Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi will chair the African Union for one year. At a closed session on Monday, the 53-member Assembly of the African Union Heads of State and Government elected Gadhafi to replace the Tanzanian President, Jakaya Kikwete, who held the position for the last year. Chairmanship of the AU went to the northern African nation because the post is a rotating position held by heads of state for one year. According to Libya's official news agency, Gadhafi will attempt in his new role "to take a decision on establishing an executive instrument for the AU, to push Africa forward to become African united states, such as the United States of Africa."
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Gadhafi replaces the leader of Tanzania, who held the post for the last year
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The chairmanship is an annual rotating position
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Gadhafi will try in his new role to push Africa "to become African united states"
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U.S. says the African Union is an "important partner"
The United States removed @placeholder from the list of state sponsors of terrorism and restored full diplomatic relations in 2006.