It said Sassou Nguesso had invited Ramaphosa to attend the inaugural March 11-12 meeting of the contact group on Libya in his capacity as chairman of the African Union, a role he assumed at its annual summit last month.

As chairman of the AU high-level committee on Libya, Sassou Nguesso briefed the summit on the military confrontations between the North African country's warring parties as well as continuous external political and military interference, which created a dangerous situation not only for that nation, but the entire continent.

The AU then decided to establish a contact group chaired by Congo to provide political leadership and coordinate international efforts in the search for a solution to the crisis, Ramaphosa's office added.

Ramaphosa's deputy David Mabuza will be South Africa's acting president in the former's absence.

African News Agency