Singer N'Dour pitches for top African govt job

DAKAR, June 28 (Reuters) African music star Youssou N'Dour plans to put himself forward as a candidate to head a new continental African government being discussed this weekend by African leaders in Ghana.

A 53-nation African Union summit, which opens in Accra on Sunday, has as at the top of its agenda a debate on creating a United States of Africa and a federal government to rule it - a long-held dream of supporters of Pan-African integration.

''I pledge in front of you, student youth of Africa, to stand as a candidate to head the union African government if the project is endorsed at the heads of state summit,'' N'Dour told students at Dakar university late on Wednesday.

''I have the ability,'' the Senegalese singer, percussionist and songwriter said to cheers from the crowd.

N'Dour, who attended the Group of Eight rich nations summit in Germany this month, has long been a campaigner for Africa on the international stage. He was recently voted one of the world's 100 most influential people by US magazine Time.

Unlike many African artists, N'Dour - who runs a production company, a local newspaper and a radio station - has built his career from Dakar without establishing a base abroad.

Most Africans embrace the vision of a united resource-rich continent of 800 million people able to speak with one voice, but sceptics doubt the practicality of a federal government for such a vast and diverse region.

Asked about N'Dour's plans, the Senegalese delegation in Accra greeted the proposal with an enigmatic smile.

REUTERS SM KP1846