Nigeria, Ghana to cooperate against xenophobia in Africa

Nigeria and Ghana have agreed to pursue coordinated action to address the resurgence of xenophobic attacks against African nationals across the continent.

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This comes amidst diplomatic tension between South Africa and many Sub-Saharan African countries caused by a recent wave of xenophobic violence. PREMIUM TIMES has extensively reported the intimidation and harassment of African foreigners by South African nationals.

Nigeria and Ghana reached their agreement during a meeting on the sidelines of the ECOWAS Mid-Year Summit in Freetown, Sierra Leone, on Friday.

Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye, met with Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Ablakwa, to discuss the recent attacks on African migrants in South Africa and the implications of the xenophobic violence on Pan-Africanism.

The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement issued after the meeting, disclosed that the diplomats condemned xenophobia, Afrophobia and all forms of violence against fellow Africans.

“Migrants should not be subjected to mob violence or collective punishment based on their nationality,” the statement read.

They stressed that such actions undermine the African Union’s vision of unity, the free movement of persons and the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

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They “underscored the need for urgent, coordinated regional and continental responses to address the root causes of these tensions, protect the lives and dignity of African migrants, and promote harmonious coexistence.”

They emphasised the need for unity, the shared values of Pan-Africanism and the collective progress of the continent.

The ministers also “stressed that criminals among migrant populations must be treated in accordance with the rule of law and not be subjected to violence and mob actions that often target even regular migrants and other law-abiding African citizens.”

Mr Enikanolaiye commended Ghana for the landmark UN resolution on the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Ghana introduced the resolution to recognise the transatlantic slave trade as the gravest crime against humanity before the General Assembly in March.

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The country asked that the UN members consider apologising for the slave trade alongside a designated reparations fund. The resolution received overwhelming support from 123 member States, with only Israel and the US voting against it. Fifty-two countries, primarily European countries such as Britain, Portugal, and Spain, abstained from voting.

Mr Enikanolaiye emphasised Nigeria’s support for the implementation of reparative justice globally.

“Nigeria aligns with and fully supports the decisions of the Conference in the quest for reparative justice for Africans,” the statement read.

It also noted that the Ghanaian foreign minister, in his response, “aligned with the need for action-oriented preventive diplomacy, which could be achieved through brotherly communications devoid of bureaucracy.”