Charge d'Affaires of Ukraine to Ethiopia Mr. Mykhailo Kirichenko presented the accreditation letter to the Chairperson of the African Union Commission Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma on June 22, 2016.

Thus, Ukraine has officially obtained the observer status in the African Union.

This status will facilitate the maintaining of active dialogue between Ukraine and African countries, especially with those where Ukrainian diplomatic presence is limited.

Ukraine’s observer status in the AU will be an additional mechanism of promoting Ukrainian foreign policy in the international arena, including those in the framework of our membership in the UN Security Council in 2016-2017.

Ukraine currently received observer status in two organizations on the African continent - the African Union and the Economic community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The African Union is a continental union consisting of all African states except Morocco.