More Than 850 Journalists Covering AU Meeting

Some 852 journalists are covering the 36th AU Summit underway here in Addis Ababa, according to the Ethiopian Media Authority.

Ethiopian Media Authority Communication Affairs Director Dessie Kefale told ENA today that the number of journalists who cover the AU ministerial meetings has shown over 21.1 percent growth.

Out of the 852 journalists, 450 are foreigners who came from all corners of the world to cover the 36th AU summit.

The number of foreign journalists that came to cover last year’s AU summit was 330 and this has shown over 36 percent increase, the director added.

According to him, the authority has opened temporary office at the airport to assist journalists with visa and duty free import of their professional equipment.

Ethiopian Media Authority is providing a 24-hour express service for journalists to assist them import professional equipment free of charge.

The authority is also assisting them to obtain visas.

For the efficiency of the service, the authority is working in cooperation with Ethiopian Airlines, Customs Commission, Immigration and Citizenship Service, Vital Status Agency, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the African Union.

The authority will continue to provide services at its temporary offices at Bole Airport and the African Union as well as at the main office located behind the Exhibition Center in the Flamingo area until the end of the conference.

Source: Ethiopia News Agency