Nigeria and Ghana Seek African Union Action on Anti-African Protests in South Africa
AFRICAN UNITY
MONROVIA, Liberia — Nigeria and Ghana have jointly condemned recent Afrophobic protests targeting African migrants in South Africa and are calling for the issue to be placed on the agenda of the next African Union (AU) Summit. The appeal followed talks between Nigeria's Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar and Ghana's Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa on the sidelines of the ECOWAS ministerial meeting in Monrovia over the weekend.
The two governments said the protests and related violence undermine the principles of African unity and regional integration. In recent weeks, nearly 1,500 Nigerian nationals and about 1,000 Ghanaians were repatriated from South Africa after anti-immigrant groups issued a June 30 deadline demanding undocumented migrants leave the country. Abuja and Accra called for stronger African Union mechanisms, including early warning systems, preventive diplomacy, and coordinated action to address xenophobic violence. Nigeria has also indicated it will pursue compensation from South Africa for businesses and property abandoned by repatriated Nigerians.
The resurgence of violence against African migrants presents one of the most serious challenges to Pan-Africanism. Continental integration cannot be achieved while Africans face intimidation and displacement in other African countries. Protecting freedom of movement, defending the dignity of African peoples, and strengthening African institutions against xenophobia remain essential to the broader project of African unity and liberation.
Photo: edition.cnn.com