John Dramani Mahama@JDMahama
During bilateral talks on the sidelines of the AU Extraordinary Summit in Accra, I reiterated Ghana’s call for the African Union to formally address the escalating xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals in South Africa. I am pleased that AU Commission Chairman Mahmoud Ali Youssouf has acknowledged the urgent need to table this matter for discussion at the next AU Summit.
In my meeting with a special envoy dispatched by President Cyril Ramaphosa to meet with me in Accra earlier in the week, I made Ghana’s position clear to the envoy. We do not harbour ill will toward South Africa. However, we remain deeply concerned about the attacks and the significant capital losses suffered by people from various countries on the continent.
This undermines the very spirit of African solidarity and our collective efforts toward continental integration.
Sweeping this matter under the carpet will not resolve its root causes. That is why Ghana officially wrote to the AU Commission requesting that this issue be placed on the agenda for the next summit.
Placing this on the AU agenda gives South Africa a formal, constructive platform to share its perspective, and together, as a continent, work toward a lasting solution.
Let us remember that our strength as a continent lies in our unity. Ghana remains committed to working with all AU member states to find lasting solutions that protect the dignity, safety, and investments of every African, everywhere on our continent.
