African leaders met in Benin’s capital Cotonou on Saturday to try to make progress in resolving the African Union (AU) leadership crisis, following deadlocked elections at a January summit.

African leaders met in Benin's capital Cotonou on Saturday to try to make progress in resolving the African Union (AU) leadership crisis, following deadlocked elections at a January summit.

With the 54-nation organization increasingly adrift since splitting over whether to re-elect Gabonese Jean Ping as head of the AU Commission or giving the post to South Africa's Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the aim was to build consensus ahead of another vote expected in July.

Saturday's meeting gathered a leader from each of Africa's five main regions.

President Thomas Boni Yayi of Benin, the current chair of the AU, was also in attendance.

A diplomatic source said the AU has been frozen since the deadlocked elections, which does not bode well for the organization's image or decision-making power.