African Union issues statement on the alleged ill treatment of Africans fleeing Ukraine

GOOBJOOG NEWS/ADDIS ABABA: The African Union has issued a statement in regards to the alleged ill treatment of Africans on the Ukrainian side of the border while trying to cross the border to safety.

The African Union has said that the Chair of the African Union, H.E. Macky Sall, and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, are following closely the developments in Ukraine and are particularly disturbed by the allegations. 

“All people have the right to cross international borders during conflict, and as such, should enjoy the same rights to cross to safety from the conflict in Ukraine, notwithstanding their nationality or racial identity”, said the two Chairpersons of the AU.

The Chairpersons further said that if by any chance the allegations were proven to be true, then the acts by the Ukrainian authorities would be shockingly racist and in breach of international law. 

Finally the the Chairpersons called on all countries to respect international law and show fairness to all refugees regardless of their colour, while commending African Union Member State countries and their embassies in neighbouring countries “for receiving and orienting African citizens and their families trying to cross the border from Ukraine to safety”.