Sudanese President Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir arrived in Accra on Wednesday to join other leaders and heads of governments attending the 6th biennial summit of Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states.

President al-Bashir, who is outgoing President of the ACP summit, is scheduled to speak at the opening on Thursday.

The Sudanese leader was indicted mid-July this year by the international criminal court for allegedly leading a campaign of murder, rape and mass deportation against the people of Darfur.

However, African Union leaders have intervened and asked the United Nations to defer possible proceedings for the alleged war crimes against him.

Other leaders who also arrived in Accra on Wednesday for the summit included Prime Minister of Niue Island Toke Talagi Tufukuyu; First Vice President of Burundi, Yves Sahingunvu; Deputy Prime Minister of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyata, and Prime Minister of Mauritania Moulaye Ould Mohamed.

Already in Accra are President Runaldo Ronald Venetiaan of Suriname; Tanzanian Prime Minister Mizengo Peter Pinda, Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Michael Somare, and Vice President Teima Onorio of Kiribati.

Some 40 Heads of State and governments, and 1,500 participants from 79 countries are expected to attend the Sept. 30-Oct. 3 conference.

Key topics to be discussed are the effects of rising food and fuel prices on developing nations, the impact of climate change, and the state of negotiations of the controversial Economic Partnership Agreements with the European Union.

Formed in 1975, the ACP group now comprises 48 sub-Saharan African countries, 16 Caribbean and 15 Pacific states.

Source: GNA