The International Criminal Court is treating Africa unfairly, said a senior African Union official, at the start of a special AU meeting to discuss a possible pull-out.

The court is targeting Africa and Africans, said Ethiopian Foreign Minister Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.  "Far from promoting justice and reconciliation... the court has transformed itself into a political instrument targeting Africa and Africans. This unfair and unjust treatment is totally unacceptable," he said.

The two-day summit comes as Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta is due to face trial at The Hague next month. He has the denied the charges of organising violence after the 2007 elections.

On Thursday, Mr Kenyatta again asked for the charges to be dismissed.

He, along with some other African leaders, argues that a serving president should not be made to face trial.

The ICC has rejected a previous request that he be allowed to give evidence by video link.

His trial was postponed for a week last month to allow him to return home to help deal with the terror attack on the Westgate shopping centre.

Kenya's foreign minister has also denied initial reports that it is lobbying for the African Union to call for all member states to withdraw from the ICC.

According to analyst the East nation favour this move while it is opposd in West Africa.