Ghana writes to AU asking it to address xenophobic attacks against other Africans in South Africa
Ghana has asked the African Union (AU) to place the issue of xenophobic attacks in South Africa against other African nationals on the agenda for 8th Mid-Year Coordination Meeting.
In a letter dated Wednesday, May 6, 2026, the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Ghana, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, described the matter as one of “urgent continental interest.”
The 8th Mid-Year AU meeting is scheduled for June 24-27 at El Alamein in Egypt.
Mr Ablakwa said the Ghanaian government remained deeply concerned about the recurrence of xenophobic incidents in South Africa, which had resulted in the loss of lives and destruction of investments, while posing serious risks to the safety and wellbeing of many African nationals living in the country.
“It is particularly troubling that manifestations of xenophobia, including violent attacks against fellow Africans, have persisted in recent years,” he said.
He stressed that the development was especially concerning given the longstanding solidarity African states demonstrated during the struggle against apartheid and South Africa’s subsequent democratic transformation.
The Minister acknowledged South Africa’s sovereignty and its primary responsibility to protect all persons within its territory. However, he said the targeting of nationals from other African countries challenged the shared principles of African solidarity, brotherhood and continental unity to which all AU Member States are committed.
Mr Ablakwa argued that the attacks constituted a violation of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, to which South Africa is a State Party.
He also said the incidents undermined the spirit of integration and Pan-Africanism and ran counter to the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which seeks to promote free movement and a common market for all Africans.
Mr Ablakwa demanded that, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), Mahmoud Ali Youssouf acting under the authority of the AU Chairperson, and Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye considered four measures during the deliberations.
These include inscribing the matter on the agenda of the Eighth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting in line with the rules of procedure, and strengthening AU monitoring mechanisms to support Member States in upholding their obligations under the AU Constitutive Act and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
He further proposed the establishment of a fact-finding mission to examine the underlying causes of xenophobic violence in South Africa and recommend remedial interventions, as well as the facilitation of dialogue and reconciliation initiatives to promote tolerance, inclusion and continental unity.
Mr Ablakwa said Africa’s future should be one of shared dignity, prosperity and mutual respect, despite the painful legacy of slavery, colonialism and apartheid.
“As Ghana’s founder and renowned Pan-Africanist Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah consistently proclaimed, the full potential and emancipation of Africa can only be achieved when Africa unites. That aspiration begins with a collective resolve to ensure that no African is dehumanised on African soil,” he said.
