By Francis Kobena Tandoh
Ghana has officially petitioned the African Union (AU) to place recent xenophobic attacks on African nationals in South Africa on the agenda of the Eight Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the continental body next month, Foreign Affairs minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa confirmed on Thursday.
According to a letter signed by the FM addressed to the chairperson of the AU Commission, Ablakwa expressed grave concern over the continued occurrence of xenophobic attacks in South Africa, which has led to the loss of lives, destruction of investments, as well as threats to the safety and well-being of African migrants.
“I have the honor, on behalf of the government of the Republic of Ghana, to respectfully submit for inclusion on the agenda of the Eight Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union as a matter of urgent continental interest, the topic of xenophobic attacks in the Republic of South Africa against African nations,” read the letter.
The FM said the attacks were disturbing, considering the solidarity many African countries demonstrated during South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle and democratic transition.
It is particularly troubling that manifestations of xenophobia, including violent attacks against fellow Africans, have persisted recently. This development is especially concerning when viewed in the light of the longstanding solidarity demonstrated by African states in support of the struggle against apartheid and South Africa’s subsequent democratic transformation,” added the letter.
According to the Ghanaian government, xenophobic attacks constitute a violation of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights and undermine the spirit of integration and pan-Africanism, as well as run counter to the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
While acknowledging South Africa’s sovereignty and its responsibility to protect all individuals within its territory, the Government of Ghana stressed that attacks targeting African nationals undermined “the shared principles of African solidarity, brotherhood, and continental unity to which all Member States of the African Union are committed.”
Ghana has urged the AU to strengthen monitoring mechanisms, establish a fact-finding mission to investigate the causes of the violence, and facilitate dialogue and reconciliation initiatives aimed at promoting tolerance and inclusion.
A viral video on social media recently captured a Ghanaian national, Emmanuel Asamoah, and other nationals being confronted and intimidated by some disgruntled South Africans who accused them of taking jobs meant for local citizens.
The video triggered outrage among many Ghanaians at home and abroad, leading to the subsequent evacuation of Asamoah. Enditem
Source: Ghana Eye Report
Find the Letter addressed to the African Union Commission below;
