• Ghana and Nigeria have urged the African Union to discuss anti-migrant violence in South Africa at its next summit, calling for a united continental response to the growing unrest.

• The two countries condemned all forms of xenophobia, Afrophobia and violence against fellow Africans, stressing that migrants should not be subjected to mob attacks or collective punishment.

• The call follows weeks of unrest in South Africa that have forced thousands of African migrants, including Ghanaians and Nigerians, to return home, prompting renewed diplomatic efforts to protect citizens across the continent.

Ghana and Nigeria have called for the growing wave of anti-immigrant violence in South Africa to be placed on the agenda of the next African Union (AU) Summit, with both countries seeking stronger continental action to protect African migrants.

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The call was made after Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, met Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye, on the sidelines of the ECOWAS Mid-Year Summit in Freetown, Sierra Leone. 

During the meeting, both ministers condemned attacks targeting African nationals living in South Africa and urged African leaders to respond collectively.

In a joint position, the ministers condemned all forms of xenophobia, Afrophobia, intolerance and violence against fellow Africans and stressed the need for urgent, coordinated regional and continental responses to address the causes of the unrest.

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The renewed call follows weeks of anti-immigrant protests in parts of South Africa, where demonstrators have accused undocumented migrants of contributing to crime and unemployment. While many protests have remained peaceful, others have turned violent, forcing thousands of foreign nationals to flee and prompting several African governments to evacuate their citizens.

According to an AFP tally based on figures released by African governments, nearly 150,000 people have left South Africa in recent weeks. Nigeria has completed the voluntary evacuation of 1,490 of its citizens, while Ghana has repatriated at least 926 Ghanaians since the violence escalated.

The issue has also strained diplomatic relations between Ghana and South Africa. Earlier this month, Ghana postponed planned bilateral talks with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, saying the current climate surrounding the anti-migrant violence was not conducive for the visit.

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South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has previously condemned the attacks and pledged action against groups involved in violence, insisting that immigration laws should be enforced by state authorities and not vigilante groups. 

His government has also announced measures to tighten immigration controls while maintaining that the violence should not be directed at law-abiding foreign nationals.