AUC HOSTS SPORTING EVENTS AS PART OF AU STAFF DAY CELEBRATIONS

Addis Ababa 14 September 2013- 

As part of the year-long celebrations of the 50th Anniversary of the Organisation of African Union (OAU) now the African Union (AU); the staff members of the AU Commission (AUC), their families and invited guests on Saturday, 14 September 2013, converged at the headquarters of the AU in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and celebrated a special AU Staff Day. The celebration was beautified by men and women wearing their national attires.  Sport competitions and shows were flavours that gave glamour to the one-day celebration, which was graced by the attendance of H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma Chairperson of the African Union Commission and H.E. Dr. Mustapha S. Kaloko, Commissioner for Social Affairs who was in charge of the planning for the celebrations.

The sporting events featured six major disciplines:  

Football:  The competition was held among 6 departments/groups, namely Security, BETs, Stores, MIS, Registry and the Diplomat Group. The games were played in rounds and in the final game Stores won 3-1over MIS.

Basketball:  Basketball is one of the premier sporting events in the Commission.  The men’s basketball tournament was held between two teams, namely, Team AU and Team Tuesday-Saturday.  The AU basketball team scored 36 over team Tuesday-Saturday who had 19 points. 

Ground Tennis:  The tennis tournament comprised doubles matches.  The final team doubles match was played between Abreham Ketema and Netsanet Tereffe vs. Livingston Sindayigaya and Girma Haile. The latter team prevailed.

Table Tennis:  The final match was held between intermediate players, Zelalem and Robert. Zelalem registered an excellent victory.  

Tae Kwan Do and Aerobics show  featured children of staff members who have been trained in a continuous program at the AUC.

Pool Table Games: Six individuals were playing. The final was played between Hailemichael and Seid. The game ended with Hailemichael the victor.  

The AUC Sport Activities Office, which Mr. Getahun Meketa heads, noted that the AUC Gym will be working closely with a medical nurse in order to give pre and after exercise health check up to the users of the Gym.  This will be done in collaboration with the AUC Medical Services.  The AUC gym therefore called upon staff members and their dependants to make use of the Gym to keep themselves and their families healthy, to increase their productivity and thereby contributing their share towards the fulfilment of the Vision of the African Union.