The Special Envoy of the African Union Agenda 2063 to Ghana and Country Director of IAWPA, Amb. Dr. Samuel Ben Owusu, has strongly condemned reported xenophobic attacks targeting Ghanaian nationals in parts of South Africa this week.
He described the incidents as “a painful betrayal of the Pan-African spirit and a direct threat to the Africa we are building together,” warning that such acts undermine continental unity and shared progress.
Speaking at a press briefing in Accra on Friday, Amb. Dr. Owusu emphasized the ideals of the AU’s long-term development framework, stating: “Agenda 2063 envisions ‘an Africa where our people are connected by aspiration and not divided by borders.”
He further added: “Any attack on an African in Africa is an attack on our shared destiny. We stand in solidarity with every Ghanaian family affected and with all Africans who believe in unity over division.”
Amb. Dr. Owusu commended Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, for what he described as swift and decisive diplomatic action in response to the situation.
“Hon. Ablakwa’s immediate engagement with his South African counterpart, the dispatch of consular teams to affected areas, and his public reassurance to Ghanaians at home and abroad demonstrate the kind of responsive diplomacy that protects lives and preserves dignity,” he stated.
He also welcomed the response from the South African government, led by President Cyril Ramaphosa, noting that early interventions were encouraging.
“We acknowledge President Ramaphosa’s unequivocal condemnation of the attacks, the South African Police Service’s rapid deployment to hotspot communities, and the commitment by Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Hon. Ronald Lamola, to ensure full investigations and prosecutions. These are commendable first steps that affirm South Africa’s Pan-African responsibility,” he said.
The Special Envoy stressed that xenophobia is often driven by economic exclusion and misinformation, urging African states to accelerate the implementation of Agenda 2063’s aspirations on integration and free movement.
“A Ghanaian in Johannesburg is not a foreigner — he is family. The Africa we want will be built on trade, innovation, and the free movement of our people in dignity and safety,” he added.
He further called on the media, civil society, and traditional leaders in both Ghana and South Africa to avoid narratives that deepen division.
According to him, the AU Agenda 2063 Office in Ghana and IAWPA are currently working with Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the African Union Commission to support affected citizens. A joint AU-Ghana assessment team is expected to engage South African authorities in the coming days.
