KHARTOUM, Jan. 24 (Xinhuanet) -- The 6th African Union (AU) summit ended here Tuesday with the newly-selected chairman Denis Sassou-Nguessou pledging to steer the regional bloc to tackle challenges the continent is facing.

    Sassou-Nguessou, president of the Republic of the Congo, said he would do his best during his one-year term for the year 2006.

    Sassou-Nguessou, succeeding Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, said economic development, the process toward a more united Africa, eradication of poverty, and the fight against HIV/AIDS and malaria would continue to impose big challenges to the vast and underdeveloped continent.

    The bi-annual meeting of more than 30 heads of state as well as officials from 53 members of AU had been charged to deal with issues ranging from the United Nations reform to the establishment of a regional organization of education and culture.

    But the wrangling over the chairmanship overshadowed the tight-scheduled meeting, as the host country of Sudan which intended to obtain the presidency for this year was challenged due to crisis situation in its western region of Darfur.

    The Darfur conflict, which pits the two rebel groups against the Sudanese government since February 2003, has claimed tens of thousands of lives and driven more than one million others from their homes.

    The groups have argued that Khartoum "cannot be both the judge and a party of the conflict," adding that awarding the chairmanship to Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir would damage the AU's credibility as it is making efforts to solve regional conflicts.

    The AU is mediating peace talks and has deployed a 7,000-strongpeacekeeping force.

    African leaders finally decided to hand the presidency of the 53-nation body to the Republic of the Congo this year and to Sudan in 2007.

    Addressing the closing ceremony, Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir affirmed Sudan's commitment to its full cooperation with the new AU chairman and to work together for the realization of peace in Darfur.

    Al-Bashir also welcomed all efforts exerted by the AU for solving differences with Chad and Eritrea, and said he hoped to see Africa united and free of conflicts, diseases and poverty, referring to the rich resources of the continent.

    The next AU summit is scheduled to be held in early July in Banjul, Gambia. Enditem