President John Dramani Mahama has reaffirmed that Ghana harbours no ill will towards South Africa despite recent diplomatic tensions triggered by recurring xenophobic attacks against African nationals, insisting that the continent must confront the issue collectively to safeguard African unity and integration.
Speaking during separate engagements with African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Mahama stressed that Ghana’s concerns stem from the recurring attacks and their impact on African solidarity rather than any hostility towards South Africa.
The president’s remarks followed engagements with South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, who visited Accra as President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Special Envoy to repair strained ties following xenophobic tensions.
While reaffirming Ghana’s commitment to its longstanding bilateral ties with Pretoria, the President said the country remains deeply concerned by the human and economic toll of the attacks, which have claimed the life of a Ghanaian national, disrupted the livelihoods of many African migrants and compelled the Government of Ghana to undertake costly evacuation operations.
“In my meeting with the Special Envoy dispatched by President Cyril Ramaphosa to meet with me in Accra earlier in the week, I made Ghana’s position clear. 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,” Mahama said.
The President warned that recurring xenophobic violence threatens the African Union’s vision of continental integration by undermining the free movement of people, cross-border investment and the principles of Pan-Africanism that underpin the bloc’s development agenda.
He argued that addressing the issue through the African Union would not only strengthen accountability but also provide a constructive platform for member states to jointly develop sustainable solutions. Mahama said Ghana’s proposal was not intended to single out South Africa but to create an institutional mechanism through which the matter could be openly discussed by African leaders.
“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.” he stated
On 6 May 2026, Ghana formally petitioned the African Union Commission to place the recurring xenophobic attacks in South Africa on the agenda of the AU’s next summit. In the diplomatic communication signed by Minister for Foreign Affairs Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Ghana argued that the attacks had resulted in the loss of lives, destruction of businesses and investments, and growing insecurity for African nationals living and working in South Africa.
Ghana’s call has since gained regional support after the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government endorsed the proposal, paving the way for the matter to receive consideration at the continental level.
South Africa has maintained that it rejects xenophobia in all its forms and has dismissed suggestions that the government condones attacks on foreign nationals. Pretoria insists that criminal acts are being investigated through the country’s law enforcement and judicial systems and has cautioned against narratives that, in its view, misrepresent the nature and scale of the incidents.
As part of efforts to restore confidence among its African partners, President Cyril Ramaphosa has publicly condemned the attacks, directed security agencies to pursue those responsible, intensified enforcement against immigration-related offences and dispatched Special Envoys to several African capitals, including Accra. The outreach forms part of Pretoria’s diplomatic engagement aimed at reaffirming South Africa’s commitment to Pan-African solidarity and strengthening cooperation with fellow African states.
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