Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, formally requested that the African Union include recurring xenophobic violence in South Africa on the agenda for the Eighth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting.
This summit is scheduled to take place in El Alamein, Egypt, from June 24 to June 27, 2026.
Ghana classified the situation as a matter of urgent continental interest, noting that the persistence of these attacks results in the loss of life, the destruction of critical investments, and a pervasive threat to the well-being of African nationals living within South Africa.
The Ghanaian government argued that such manifestations of violence fundamentally undermine the principles of solidarity and continental unity championed by the Pan-African movement.
Furthermore, the petition asserts that these incidents violate the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and directly contradict the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which depends on the free movement of people and the removal of barriers to foster a common market.
To address these challenges, Ghana proposed that the AU strengthen its monitoring mechanisms to ensure member states uphold their obligations under the AU Constitutive Act.
The proposal includes the establishment of a formal fact-finding mission to investigate the underlying causes of the violence and recommend remedial interventions.
Additionally, Ghana called for dialogue and reconciliation initiatives designed to promote social inclusion and integration across the continent.
The letter also stressed that Africa’s future must be built on shared dignity and mutual respect.
Invoking the legacy of Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah, the government maintained that the continent’s full potential can only be realized when no African is dehumanized.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
