'Inside Africa' from the African Union - CNN International Saturday 7th February at 1800 CET

This weekend's 'Inside Africa' on CNN International is presented by CNN's Johannesburg-based correspondent, Robyn Curnow, from the African Union Heads of State Meeting from Addis Adaba, Ethiopia.

Highlights include:

- A look at the challenges facing this continental body, and its new Chairman, Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi as conflicts remain in Congo, Somalia and Darfur.

- Robyn will sit down with the outgoing chairman of the AU and Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikweti to get his thoughts on the global economic crisis. President Kikweti warns that the crisis could be catastrophic for the continent as foreign aid dries up and commodity prices drop.

- How the global economic crisis is affecting many of the continents commodity-based economies. How does the global price of grain and coffee affect a nation such as Ethiopia?

- Robyn speaks to a group of Zimbabwean human rights activists who have made the trip to Addis to voice their unhappiness with African leaders, who they say too often ignore the plight of ordinary Africans.

The programme includes a behind-the-scenes look at how CNN International covers the summit - long hours, hordes of journalists and deadlines. Plus, Africa's most famous Italian restaurant, Ristorante Castelli, is visited in this special edition of 'Inside Africa'.

Francesco Castele arrived in Ethiopia with Mussolini's occupation in 1936. Besides his gun, Francesco brought along his own pasta maker, staying behind and opening a restaurant in the capital. The pasta maker is still in use over 70 years later and now run by daughter Tiziana.

Finally, Robyn goes with her cameraman in search of one of the nation's cultural treasures: night clubs and the sounds of Addis.

'Inside Africa' can be seen at the following times on CNN International:

Saturday 7th February at 1800 CET; Sunday 8th February at 0230 and 1430 CET; Tuesday 11th February at 1130 CET; Wednesday 12th February at 0600 CET.

For more information, please contact:

Joel Brown
Senior Press Officer
CNN Europe, Middle East & Africa
Tel: + 44 20 7693 0967
Email: [email protected]