From WNP contributor Cecil Maranville:

What is behind the participation of Hugo Chavez and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the annual summit of the African Union nations? Have these two outspoken leaders reached such a level of international prominence that they inspire confidence in the leaders of this troubled region? Do the AU representatives feel that Chavez and Ahmadinejad can contribute needed vision to help resolve some of the greatest problems confronting today's world? That's not why Chavez and Ahmadinejad received an invitation to the summit!

Nonetheless, their presence "may steal the show" in the words of the Eritrea Daily. We would like you to know the truth.

What these two avid anti-American presidents bring to the table is their anti-Americanism! Only a single invitation is required to open the way for visitors.  These two received theirs from the president of The Gambia, Yahya Jammeh, who just happens to be in trouble with the U.S.! Gambia's Jammeh happens to be as much on the outs with the United States as are Venezuela's Chavez and Iran's Ahmadinejad.

The Bush Administration established the Millennial Challenge Corporation as a supplemental foreign aid program to the poorest nations of the world. The Gambia qualifies in terms of need. "The Millennium Challenge Corporation [is] ... designed to work with some of the poorest countries in the world, bases its assistance on the principle that aid is most effective when it reinforces good governance, economic freedom and investments in people that promote economic growth and elimination of extreme poverty"  (Charles W. Corey, "The Gambia Suspended from Millennium Challenge Compact Program," June 16, 2006).

Corey explains, however, The Gambia's atrocious record on human rights resulted in its removal from the list of nations eligible for MCC assistance. You can read the full article here.

So, it is President Jammeh's anti-Americanism, which made it attractive to invite two infamous anti-American presidents, Hugo Chavez and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the AU summit.