The chair of the African Union Commission has called on leaders to tackle conflicts in the continent and condemned a series of coups in some African countries. Moussa Faki Mahamat made the call on the first day of the two-day AU summit. Wars in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo are at the top of the African bloc's agenda. Mr Faki says he was extremely worried about a litany of difficulties facing the region. He expressed concern over the fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo, saying the conflict in the east of the country was leading to a worsening of its eternal crises. He says the rise in jihadist insurgencies was resulting in exorbitant military spending, at the expense of vital social sectors, while opening the way to misleading populist speeches.