AU condemns mistreatment of Africans leaving Ukraine

By Ritah Kemigisa
The African Union (AU) has condemned the reported ill-treatment and racism towards Africans trying to leave Ukraine.

Thousands of African and other foreign nationals, particularly students, have been scrambling to leave Ukraine following Russia’s invasion.

As hundreds of thousands throng to Ukraine’s borders, reports have emerged that Africans are being treated differently and sometimes prevented from leaving.

Several have shared videos and testimonies on social media, denouncing discrimination at train stations and border posts.

The current Chair of the African Union and President of the Republic of Senegal, H.E. Macky Sall, and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, in a February 28th joint statement say all people have the right to cross international borders during the conflict, and as such, should enjoy the same rights to cross to safety from the conflict in Ukraine, notwithstanding their nationality or racial identity.

The Chairpersons have now urged all countries to respect international law and show the same empathy and support to all people fleeing war notwithstanding their racial identity.

Written by Noelyn Nassuuna