The escalating conflict in Democratic Republic of Congo will dominate an African Union summit opening Saturday, with the DRC president absent after Rwandan-backed forces seized a second major city on his territory.

The 38th African Union summit in Addis Ababa started with the election of commissioners, amid some confusion over the new rules adopted as part of AU institutional reform. The eastern DRC conflict and civil war in Sudan are high on the agenda,

As the crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo reaches a critical juncture, pressure is mounting on the African Union Peace and Security Council to take decisive action when government leaders attend the 38th Summit of Heads of State and Government meeting on February 14.

The 55-member organization is set to vote for a new chairperson, who will inherit challenges ranging from conflicts to crafting a continent-wide stance on climate change.

The absence of the president of the Democratic Republic of Congo at the recent meeting has raised concerns. WATCH: DRC conflict | Discussion | DRC senator comments on South Africa's role The escalating violence in the eastern region of the DRC as the country fights a proxy war with Rwanda must have played a significant role in this decision.