Nigeria and Ghana have agreed to strengthen cooperation in tackling the growing wave of Afrophobic attacks and protests targeting African nationals across the continent, with plans to push for the issue to be discussed at the next African Union (AU) Summit.
The agreement was reached during a bilateral meeting between Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, and Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, on the sidelines of the ECOWAS Mid-Year Summit in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
In a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday, the two ministers expressed concern over recent attacks on African migrants, particularly in South Africa, describing the incidents as a threat to African unity, regional integration, and the free movement of people across the continent.
They jointly condemned xenophobia, Afrophobia, violence, and intolerance against fellow Africans, stressing that such actions contradict the ideals of Pan-Africanism and undermine the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The ministers called for coordinated efforts among African countries to address the root causes of the growing tensions, safeguard the rights and dignity of African migrants, and promote peaceful coexistence across the continent.
They also emphasized that individuals involved in criminal activities should be prosecuted through legal processes rather than subjected to mob violence or attacks that often victimize innocent and law-abiding migrants.
As part of their commitment, both countries agreed to work with other AU member states to ensure Afrophobia becomes a key agenda item at the next African Union Summit. They also pledged to advocate for stronger continental measures, including improved monitoring systems, early warning mechanisms, and preventive diplomacy to curb such incidents.
During the meeting, Ambassador Enikanolaiye praised Ghana for its leadership in promoting Pan-Africanism and advancing reparations for Africans and people of African descent affected by the trans-Atlantic slave trade and colonialism.
He also congratulated Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama on the successful adoption of a United Nations resolution on the Transatlantic Slave Trade and the country’s hosting of the Next Steps High-Level Conference on reparative justice, reaffirming Nigeria’s support for its outcomes.
In response, Ablakwa congratulated Enikanolaiye on his appointment and called for stronger collaboration between both countries through practical diplomatic initiatives aimed at preventing conflicts. He also appreciated Nigeria’s role in supporting the UN resolution and its contributions to the high-level conference on reparative justice.
Both ministers reaffirmed the long-standing relationship between Nigeria and Ghana and pledged to continue working together through ECOWAS, the African Union, and other international platforms to promote peace, unity, and sustainable development across Africa.
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