President John Dramani Mahama has warned that recurring xenophobic attacks in South Africa pose a growing threat to African unity, calling on the African Union (AU) to take stronger action to address the violence before it undermines continental integration.
Speaking during a meeting with the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), H.E. Mahamoud Ali Youssou, at the Jubilee House on Wednesday, July 22, President Mahama said the attacks have gone beyond isolated incidents and now require a coordinated continental response.
AU Urged to Act
The President said Ghana intends to place the issue on the agenda of the next African Union meeting, arguing that xenophobic attacks threaten the ideals of solidarity and free movement that African countries have worked to build.
He stressed that the violence has become a shared continental concern rather than a domestic issue for South Africa alone.
Ghana Expands Evacuation Efforts
President Mahama disclosed that Ghana has already organised three charter flights to evacuate its citizens from South Africa and is preparing three more flights because about 900 Ghanaians have registered to return home.
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He said the exercise has come at a significant financial cost, with government also providing reintegration support and allowances for returning citizens.
Concern Over Slow Response
The President expressed concern over what he described as the inadequate response by South African authorities to the attacks.
He noted that two Ghanaian nationals have been killed and alleged that individuals responsible for inciting the violence continue to act with little consequence.
According to him, the attacks have left affected African countries traumatised and risk reversing years of progress toward closer continental cooperation.
Ghana Calls for Transparency
President Mahama revealed that South African President Cyril Ramaphosa recently sent a delegation to Ghana to discuss the crisis.
He said Ghana’s decision to raise the issue publicly was not intended to strain relations with South Africa but to encourage transparency, accountability and meaningful action.
The President maintained that confronting xenophobia openly is essential to protecting African citizens and preserving the vision of a united continent.
