DE M O C R AT I C Progressive Party (DPP) has taken a swipe at President Joyce Banda for cancelling the African Union summit, s a y i n g t h e d e c i s i o n will have catastrophic cons equenc e s on the country's businesses and tourism prospects.

Th e p a r t y f u r t h e r called the People's Party government a sell out to the west, saying the party has allowed interference from donors to control its foreign policy.

DPP publicity secretary, Nicholas Dausi said in Parliament on Tuesday that the decision will cost the country and Sadc region in continental matters.

H e d e s c r i b e d t h e decision as "very costly" e c o n o m i c a l l y a n d diplomatically.

"We have lost the spirit of nationalism, we have given away our sovereignty by allowing another country because it is a donor to announce for us a decision like that one.

"We should have negotiated with our counterparts in the AU first before rushing to make such decisions," Dausi said.

Malawi Government s a i d i t w a s f o r c e d n o t t o h o s t t h e AU summit following the organisation's insistence t h a t i t h o s t s S u d a n president Omar Al Bashir who is wanted by the International Criminal Court over genocide charges.