President John Dramani Mahama has asked the African Union (AU) to pay closer attention to the frequent xenophobic attacks in South Africa, calling the situation a menace to African integration.
President Mahama stated that the attacks could no longer be disregarded and needed a coordinated response from the AU while speaking at a meeting with the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), H.E. Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, at the Jubilee House in Accra on Wednesday, July 22.
Stating that the magnitude and gravity of the assaults demanded continent-wide attention, he drew attention to the financial toll Ghana had taken in evacuating its residents from South Africa.
“We had to charter airplanes to evacuate our citizens from South Africa at a significant expense to ourselves. Since there are still around 900 people who have registered to return home, we ran three charter planes and will run another three.
He stated, “We have been forced to pay them reintegration costs and allowances. I believe the AU ought to pay attention to this problem since it has the potential to ruin all of our efforts toward African integration and solidarity. We’re hoping to include it on the agenda for the AU’s next meeting.”
President Mahama called the assaults on Africans in South Africa, as horrifying for the impacted nations.
He commented, “It’s been quite painful for the countries that have experienced these xenophobic attacks. We are all setback by it.”
He also voiced his dismay at what he saw as the South African government’s inadequate reaction.
“We lost two of our citizens who have been killed. It doesn’t appear the South African authorities are responding to the magnitude that one would expect them to do. The persons who are fanning these attacks are known, and they have been left free to do what they want to do. They are doing it with impunity,” he said.
According to the President, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa had recently dispatched a delegation to Ghana to discuss the issue.
“President Cyril Ramaphosa dispatched a delegation to me yesterday, July 21, and I explained why we need to talk about it. Sometimes these things happen and we want to sweep them under the rug, but when we do that, we do not cure the problem,” he stated.
According to President Mahama, Ghana’s decision to bring up the subject was made to promote accountability and transparency rather than to damage relations with South Africa.
He said, “I warned them that Ghana has no bad intentions against South Africa, but we are bringing it up so that it gives them the opportunity to explain what they are doing to the world.”
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