AU Legal Counsel, Prof Nmehielle call on the press to be accurate in reporting development issues in Africa

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 30th January 2016: The AU Legal Counsel, Prof. Vicent. O.Nmehielle, during his press conference at the margin of the 26th AU Summit which brought together renowned media representatives from all over the continent, highlighted that in the configuration of the African Union we have 5 regions i.e. north, west, east, central and the south. He indicated that the issue of the 6th Region as demanded by the Diaspora is a subject for an amendment of the Constitutive Act of the African Union. He indicated that there is a ray of hope following the ministerial retreat held in Mekele, Ethiopia where one of the resolutions of the ministers was a holistic revision of the Constitutive Act which could be an opportunity to realize the issue of the 6thRegion within the dimension of Africa’s integration as well as the AU Agenda 2063.

Prof. Nmehielle furthermore elaborated on African Union’s interaction with the ICC in terms of the AU’s position as a regional organization and because its member states are affected by the activities of the ICC.

When asked about the situation in Burundi, Prof. Nmehielle stated that the African Union was very concerned about the situation and was looking at ways to intervene to ensure a resolution of the conflict within the provisions of the Constitutive Act and the Protocol on the AU Peace and Security Council. Prof. Nmehielle concluded by urging the media to be accurate in their reporting of the African Union and general developments in Africa as stakeholders in the overall development of the Continent. He urged them to also focusing on the successes and good initiatives of the African Union rather than overly focus on what may be perceived as the negatives.

BA/EAT

Journalists wishing to interview the leadership of the AU Commission during the Summit should submit their requests to Mrs Esther AzaaTankou, Ag. Director of Information and Communication of the AUC, via E-mail: YambouE@africa-union.org / esthertankou@yahoo.com

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Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@african-union.org I Website: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

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Directorate of Information and Communication
Directorate of Information and Communication | Information and Communication | African Union Commission

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Addis Ababa | Ethiopia