African Union to tackle two summits as the continent contends with humanitarian crises, terrorism and military coups

Around 20 heads of state as well as donors are expected to assemble in the capital, Malabo, to raise funds at the AU's first "extraordinary humanitarian summit" on Friday.

According to AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat, 113 million Africans need urgent humanitarian assistance this year, including 48 million refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced people.

In a statement, the AU said 15 particularly hard-hit countries required urgent aid, with climate shocks and conflicts causing humanitarian needs to increase "exponentially".

A second meeting on Saturday will tackle "terrorism and unconstitutional changes" as rebellions and jihadist insurgencies plague Libya, Mozambique, Somalia, the Sahel region, West Africa's Lake Chad basin and eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Mahamat called terrorism a "cancer" progressively infecting the whole continent with painful economic and security consequences.

Military coups in Mali, Guinea, Sudan and Burkina Faso in the past two years have seen the army oust elected leaders and set lengthy or no timetables for a return to civilian rule.

The moves have sparked condemnation and sanctions from regional bodies, the European Union and Western capitals, with the AU suspending the four countries until power is handed back to civilians.