STUTTGART, Germany -- Eight journalists who are accredited with the African Union are visiting U.S. Africa Command this week as invited participants of the command’s public outreach and communications program.

The journalists, from both traditional and new media, represent a variety of news organizations in Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa and Uganda.

AFRICOM staff will present briefs on the command’s multiple and diverse programs throughout the week of Feb. 9-12, at Kelley Barracks, U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart, Germany.

AFRICOM’s media delegation visit program dates back to 2009 when AFRICOM Public Affairs first proposed it as a way for the command to connect in a face-to-face environment with professional journalists from across the continent.

In the past six years, AFRICOM has hosted nearly a dozen media delegation visits for journalists from 20 countries and countless media organizations, making it one of the most high-profile outreach events sponsored by the command.

 “We are communicators, all,” said COL Mark Cheadle, AFRICOM’s Chief of Public Affairs and Communication Synchronization. “These visits are a unique opportunity to educate and inform African journalists about the command’s mission and our role in working with African partners to support their efforts to build more secure environments.”

This visit concludes on Thursday with the journalists having an opportunity to interview AFRICOM senior leaders.