President John Dramani Mahama has called for a more forceful continental response to xenophobic attacks in South Africa, warning that the recurring violence threatens African unity, free movement and regional integration.
The President disclosed that South African President Cyril Ramaphosa recently sent a delegation to Ghana to discuss the issue, following growing concern over attacks on foreign nationals.
Mahama made the remarks when he received the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahamoud Ali Youssou, at Jubilee House in Accra on Wednesday, July 22.
Ghana Pushes for Open Discussion
According to the President, the South African delegation arrived on July 21 and was given a clear account of Ghana’s position.
“Sometimes these things happen, and we want to sweep them under the carpet, but when we do that, we do not cure what the problem is,” Mahama said.
He stressed that Ghana’s concerns were not driven by hostility towards South Africa. Rather, they were meant to create room for honest discussion and allow the South African government to explain the measures it is taking to protect foreign nationals.
“I told them that Ghana does not harbour any malice against South Africa, but we are raising it so it gives them the platform to explain what they are doing to the world,” he stated.
That distinction matters. Xenophobic violence has surfaced repeatedly in South Africa, often leaving migrants from other African countries exposed to attacks, displacement and loss of livelihoods.
AU Asked to Take Stronger Role
President Mahama urged the African Union to become more involved in finding a lasting solution, arguing that silence or delayed action weakens the continent’s integration agenda.
He said the violence sits uneasily with Africa’s push for freer movement of people, deeper trade ties and closer political cooperation.
The President also pointed to the direct cost to Ghana, noting that the country has previously spent considerable resources evacuating citizens from South Africa following attacks.
Those operations, he suggested, reflect the wider human and financial burden that xenophobia places on African states.
Continental Pressure Builds
Mahama’s comments add to renewed calls for a coordinated African response rather than isolated national reactions each time violence erupts.
For Ghana, the issue is no longer just about protecting citizens abroad. It is also about defending the credibility of continental unity.
The President’s message was blunt enough: African countries cannot speak confidently about integration while citizens remain unsafe in fellow African states. Addressing xenophobia openly, he argued, is the only way to confront the deeper tensions behind it and prevent another cycle of violence.
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