Addis Ababa, 5 October 2016- In response to information circulating on social media and queries made to the African Union Commission to verify the contents of a satirical “travel advisory” that was quoted in Kenyans.co.ke on and other online publications this month, the African Union (AU) would like to inform all African and international media and audiences that there are individuals or groups that are misinforming the public by sending incorrect statements in the name of the AU and making use of the logo or other symbols of the African Union to give credibility to their statements.
Specifically, the Union has not sent out any travel advisories to any country or territory in the world as purported in a statement that is circulating on social media, and which has been quoted by some online publications. Furthermore, the statement refers to the African Union as a state government while it is in fact an international organisation.
In order to ensure that all stakeholders are kept abreast of their Union’s activities, members of the public and social media participants are advised that they can access official African Union communication through the following channels:
- Its website www.au.int
- Official social media sites:
· Twitter twitter.com/_AfricanUnion
· Facebok https://www.facebook.com/AfricanUnionCommission;
· YouTube https://www.youtube.com/AUCommission
- Official AU publications, copies of which can also be found on the AU website and that of its organs
- Meetings organised by the African Union in conjunction with Member states and development partners
- Interviews by AU officials on various communication channels
With reference to information for publication by the media, the AU sends communication such as press releases, media advisories and communiques to various media on its database. Journalists wishing to get accreditation to the AU as well as to have their contact details added to the AU database in order to receive communication should send email to DIC@africa-union.org.
In addition, the African Union’s Directorate of Information and Communication is available to service specific requests from the media. Such requests should be directed to the Directorate on +251 11 5182558, +251 11 5182568 or its media center on +251 11 5182014.
As the African Union continues to work with all its member states and African citizens to achieve the continental goal of unity, prosperity and peace, it appeals to all stakeholders, when referencing statements of the Union, to rely on information from these official channels. It also calls on those who are making wrongful use of the Union’s symbols to misinform the public, to respect the symbols that represent the collective aspirations of the African people to achieve a united, prosperous and peaceful Africa as enshrined in the Union’s constitutive act and the Agenda 2063 continental development framework.
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