Press Release

Chairperson visits Chinese-donated new African Union Conference Centre and Office Complex under construction

The Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), Dr. Jean Ping, accompanied by China’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union, H.E. Mr. Gu Xiaojie, visited on Friday, 21 January 2011, the new AU Conference Centre and Office Complex project, donated by the People’s Republic of China, which is currently under construction near the AUC Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The Centre, which covers a floor area of 51,887 square meters, comprises an office tower, a large conference hall, podium building and exterior engineering works. The office tower has a basement and 20 floors above ground and is 113.2 meters high. The building’s main frame is 99.9 meters high, signifying the date 9 September 1999 when the Organization of African Unity (OAU) voted to become the African Union (AU).

The main conference hall can sit over 2500 people, with 1040 people in the 1st floor balcony, 679 in the 2nd floor balcony and 786 in the 3rd floor balcony. The Center is further equipped with a medium-size conference hall with a capacity of 681 seats, a news briefing room, caucus meeting room, VIP reception, medical center, etc. The building’s external site has a total surface area of 11,000 square meters and includes an amphitheater, helipad, equipment room, flag square, sports field, garden and parking lot. 

The project was formally announced by Chinese President, H.E. Mr. Hu Jintao at the Beijing Summit of the Forum on Africa-China Cooperation in November 2006 and construction commenced in June 2009 and is expected to be completed on schedule by the end of the year.

At the end of the site visit, the Chairperson renewed the expression of his gratitude to the Government and People of China for their generous gift and warm friendship with Africa.

The tour was guided by Chinese construction engineers and the AU Projects Coordinator, Ambassador Fantalun H. Michael.

The Chairperson was accompanied during the visit by the Deputy Chairperson, AU Commissioners and other senior AUC officials. 

Addis Ababa, 25 January 2011
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Office of the Spokesperson to the Chairperson, African Union Commission, P.O. Box 3243 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Tel: +251 11 551 7700 Ext. 401 Mobile: +251 91 151 1723 Email: NoureddineM@africa-union.org / n.mezni@gmail.com
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