The African Union released a statement on Monday condemning incidents of racial discrimination against Africans trying to flee the conflict in Ukraine. The statement noted that the organization has been following the developments in Ukraine closely, and expressed disturbance by reports that “African citizens on the Ukrainian side of the border are being refused the right to cross the border to safety.” “Reports that Africans are singled out for unacceptable dissimilar treatment would be shockingly racist and in breach of international law. The Chairpersons urged all countries to respect international law and show the same empathy and support to all people fleeing war notwithstanding their racial identity,” the statement said. Since the invasion of Ukraine, more than a half a million refugees have fled Ukraine, head of the UN’s refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Monday, which included Africans and other nationalities. Africans have accused Ukrainian security forces of preventing them from boarding trains headed to the border regions, as videos were shared on social media that showed ill treatment and discrimination. “A woman told me that if I am not Ukrainian, then I shouldn’t be on the train. It’s really…
African Union Condemns Racist Treatment of African Refugees from Ukraine
March 3, 2022
