South Africa has responded sharply to Ghana’s request to place xenophobic attacks against African nationals on the agenda of the upcoming African Union (AU) Mid-Year Coordination Meeting, calling the move “regrettable” and warning that Pretoria will propose its own counter-agenda item if the matter proceeds.
In a statement, the South Africa Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola stressed that the country had already engaged Ghana diplomatically following recent incidents targeting African migrants and that there is “no credible evidence” of deaths of Ghanaian or Nigerian nationals, countering circulating social media claims.
Ghana, through foreign minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, had appealed to the AU for a fact-finding mission, citing violations of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and urging measures to prevent dehumanization of Africans on African soil.
South Africa’s response reframed the issue as a migration management challenge, pointing to economic pressures, undocumented migration, and ongoing reforms including a White Paper on Migration, points-based visas, and the “First Safe Country” principle for refugees. Pretoria also noted that Ghana has implemented similar economic protection laws for citizens, highlighting shared approaches to migration policy.
The AU Mid-Year Coordination Meeting is scheduled for June 24–27, 2026, in Egypt.
