Ablakwa: Ghana secures ECOWAS backing for AU action on South Africa xenophobia

Ghana’s campaign for a continental response to xenophobic attacks against African nationals in South Africa is set to receive further attention at the African Union Summit expected in January 2027.

Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said Ghana had formally petitioned the Chairperson of the African Union Commission on May 6, 2026, to place the issue of xenophobic attacks against African nationals in South Africa on the AU agenda.

The petition highlighted recurring deaths, attacks on African migrants, destruction of businesses and threats to African unity, free movement and continental integration.

Although the AU Mid-Year Coordination Meeting where the issue was expected to be considered was postponed, Ghana maintained its petition and secured the unanimous endorsement of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government to pursue the matter within the AU.

Ablakwa said the AU Commission had formally responded to Ghana and indicated that the matter would be tabled for deliberations at the next AU Summit expected in January 2027.

President John Dramani Mahama also raised the issue with AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf during his visit to Accra on July 22.

Ghana’s position, according to Ablakwa, is that the attacks require collective continental action rather than silence.

“Ghana believes that the best way to address this matter is not to look away and pretend nothing serious is happening, but to bring it into the open and have an honest discussion on this concern and how best to address it, including the root causes of this xenophobic violence.”

Beyond the South Africa crisis, the government also announced plans to establish a Ghanaian Diaspora Consular Fund to provide emergency assistance to Ghanaians in distress abroad.

The fund will serve as a dedicated emergency response mechanism to help the government mobilise resources quickly during crises.

Ablakwa said the need for such a fund had become increasingly apparent, noting that 4,972 Ghanaians had been repatriated from various countries since 2025.

The figure includes 3,807 from Libya, 440 from Côte d’Ivoire, 246 from Nigeria, 244 from Cambodia, 201 from Algeria, 18 from Kuwait, eight from Sierra Leone, five from Mauritius, two from Morocco and one from Iraq.

“I wish to announce that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will soon launch a Ghanaian Diaspora Consular Fund which will serve as an emergency response funding mechanism to swiftly take care of Ghanaians in distress and during crisis situations anywhere in the world.”

The latest diplomatic push follows renewed xenophobic attacks against African nationals in South Africa from April 2026.

Ghana responded by evacuating 1,964 nationals from the country between May 27 and September 4 at a total cost of GH¢49.72 million.

The government has also intensified warnings to Ghanaians, particularly young people, about illegal recruitment agencies and human trafficking networks that promise overseas employment and expose victims to dangerous situations.

Ablakwa disclosed that 62 Ghanaians had lost their lives in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, with another 15 missing, while two Ghanaian nationals are currently being held by Ukrainian authorities as prisoners of war.