Gaddafi urges self-reliance at Africa summit

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi urged African leaders on Monday not to go begging to a summit of rich nations this week, telling them to embrace self-reliance and reject conditional aid from the West.

"Begging will not make the future of Africa, (instead) it creates a greater gap between the great ones and the small ones," he told the opening session of a summit of the 53-nation African Union (AU) in Libya.

"We are not going to beg at the doorsteps to reduce debt... We are insulted constantly and we deserve it. We don't need assistance and charity. I would not accept that (conditions for aid)."

Gaddafi's message is unlikely to set the tone of the gathering, which is due to adopt a broadly favourable stance on a British-backed drive for more help for Africa to be presented to a Group of Eight (G8) summit on Wednesday and Thursday.

While Gaddafi is the host of the meeting and a founder of the three-year-old AU, the organisation is currently chaired by Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, who wants more democratic and accountable governments around the continent.

Obasanjo will be a key influence behind the wording of a message that African leaders are expected to send to the G8 summit later this week about rescuing the continent of 800 million from poverty, war and disease, diplomats say.