Ban urged "restraint, non-violence and respect for fundamental rights and freedoms and human rights" in an address to the African Union summit that opened in Addis Ababa.
"We must listen attentively... to the voice of the people, their aspirations, their challenges and their hopes for a better future," he added.
Egypt has been embroiled in deadly riots since Tuesday as protesters demand President Hosni Mubarak quit.
Demonstrators began gathering in central Cairo for a sixth day of protests Sunday against the regime.(*)
Editor: Ruslan Burhani
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