Events

NOT FOR PUBLICATION OR BROADCAST

MEDIA ADVISORY NOTE

FOR THE
25TH ORDINARY SESSION OF THE ASSEMBLY OF THE AFRICAN UNION
PRETORIA AND JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

7-15 JUNE 2015

THEME OF THE SUMMIT

“Year of Women Empowerment and Development Towards Agenda 2063”

EVENTS

Sunday 7 & Monday 8 June: 30th Ordinary Session of the Permanent Representatives Committee

Wednesday 10 to Friday 12 June 2015: 27th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council

Sunday 14 & Monday 15 June: 25th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union

1. ACCREDITATION FOR MEDIA PERSONNEL BASED OUTSIDE SOUTH AFRICA
The following accreditation process applies only to media personnel based outside South Africa. Local media personnel or international correspondents based in South Africa do not need to apply through the African Union system. They are required to approach the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) for accreditation (see 2).

Three methods of accreditation are available.

1.1. Online system:
The online accreditation form is available at http://summits.au.int/en/25thsummit/accreditation

1.2. E-mail:
After completing the accreditation form available at
http://summits.au.int/en/25thsummit/accreditation, the form and scanned copies of all the required documents should be sent via e-mail to Mrs Rahel Akalewold on: 25thAUSummit@africa-union.org

1.3. Mail and fax:
After completing the accreditation form available at http://summits.au.int/en/25thsummit, the form and all the required documents should be sent to:
Mrs. Rahel Akalewold
Directorate of Information and Communication
African Union Commission
PO Box 3243
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
Tel: +251 11 5526373 ext 2551; Fax: +25111553 6150:
E mail- 25thAUSummit@africa-union.org

Required documents to accompany application form
• Two passport size photographs not more than six months old;
• A letter of assignment on a letterhead from the journalist’s organization indicating his/ her function;
• Copy of a valid professional press card or equivalent identification

It is also advisable to carry hard copies of all the required documents in case of any necessary checks. Applications should reach Mrs Akalewold before Monday 1st June 2015.

2. ACCREDITATION FOR MEDIA PERSONNEL BASED IN SOUTH AFRICA

All media personnel operating from within South Africa must apply for accreditation through the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) by providing the following information:

Full Names (as in ID or Passport)
ID or Passport Number
Name of Media organization
Designation (Reporter, Photographer etc)
Contact Numbers
Email address

The above information must be provided on or before 01 June 2015 to the following officials:
Hlungwani R at hlungwanir@dirco.gov.za AND malepanet@dirco.gov.za

Enquiries should be directed to Mr Nelson Kgwete +27 76 431 3078

3. WHAT TO DO IN SOUTH AFRICA
Journalists will need to get two badges.

3.1. The Government press badge will be issued at the Moslow Hotel in Sandton. (This involves being photographed before the card is processed).

3.2. AU conference badge. After getting the government issued press badge, journalists will need to go to the Sandton Convention Center to get their conference badges. These will give them access into the conference rooms.
3.3. Journalists are advised to make sure they arrive in South Africa in good time so as to have the documentation done before the meetings start.
3.4. Journalists are also advised to arrive at summit venues early to ensure that they clear all entry procedures before the meetings start.

4. PASSPORTS AND VISAS
4.1. Members of the media from those countries exempted from visa requirements to South Africa need not apply for visas.

4.2. All other applicants must comply with the South African visa requirements.

4.3. Journalists should contact the nearest South African Diplomatic or Consular Mission to request for South African visa.

4.4. Yellow fever cards will be required at the ports of entry for journalists travelling from yellow fever designated countries.

5. CUSTOMS CLEARANCE FOR MEDIA EQUIPMENT

Accredited media personnel bringing technical equipment with them to South Africa will be subject to full Customs Control. Therefore, journalists are requested to send their list of equipment (two copies) together with their application for accreditation. (See media equipment form at http://summits.au.int/en/25thsummit
Journalists bringing in heavy equipment that will require space outside of the plenary halls will need to relay this information before 1st June to the following officials:
Hlungwani R at hlungwanir@dirco.gov.za AND malepanet@dirco.gov.za

6. MEDIA FACILITIES
Access to media facilities will be available only to accredited media representatives. Accreditation is open to bona fide journalists, broadcasters, photographers, film and television camera crews and technicians.

A media center, with facilities for print, online and electronic media will be available at the summit venue.

Focal person for the media center facilities is: Mtshali Patience at mtshalip@dirco.gov.za

7. REQUESTS FOR INTERVIEWS WITH AUC LEADERSHIP
Journalists wishing to interview the leadership of the AU Commission during the summit should submit their requests to Mrs Esther Azaa Tankou on YambouE@africa-union.org; Tel: +251 911 36 11 85

8. MEDIA BRIEFINGS BY AU LEADERSHIP
Briefings by leaders of the various African Union organs and programmes will take place at the conference center. Journalists will be given advance notice of the briefing time, venue and speakers.
Other partner organisations of the AU occasionally request facilities for media briefings during the summit. Journalists will be notified of such briefings through postings in the media center

9. MEDIA COVERAGE OF THE SUMMIT
Opening and closing sessions during the meetings are open to journalists, depending on availability of space within the meeting rooms. Media practitioners will be informed of how to enter the plenary halls in the following ways:
- A guideline will be circulated to all media on the AU database and on the AU website
- A briefing session will be held for all media during the summit. A notice will be circulated regarding the time and date of the briefing.

10. LIVE STREAMING
Open sessions of the Summit and related meetings will be streaming live, all the opening sessions of the PRC, Executive Council and Assembly meetings as well the press conferences by AU leadership. These feeds will be available through the media centre
Enquiries regarding live streaming should be directed to:
Mr Nelson Kgwete at kgweten@dirco.gov.za or +27 76 431 3078

11. TELEPHONES AND FAXES
Telephone facilities will be available on a commercial basis.

12. TELEVISION AND RADIO
Live TV transmission will be available on the following link: http://www.youtube.com/user/theDIRCOZA
Live radio transmission will be available on www.ubunturadio.com

Facilities for satellite feeds can be booked in advance by contacting:
Ms Mtshali Patience at mtshalip@dirco.gov.za
E-mail mtshalip@dirco.gov.za

13. ACCOMMODATION
Accommodation will be on self-arrangement basis. Journalists are advised to make their booking early to avoid last minute inconveniences. A list of Pretoria and Johannesburg hotels will soon be available on the African Union website.