South Africa has successfully resisted Ghana's attempt to place the country's recent wave of xenophobic violence on the agenda of the African Union's Mid-Year Coordination Meeting, shifting the conversation instead toward broader migration challenges facing the continent.
The diplomatic disagreement unfolded during the African Union Executive Council meeting of foreign ministers in Addis Ababa, where Ghana raised concerns over attacks on foreign nationals in South Africa and sought a dedicated discussion at the October summit.
However, South Africa's Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, argued that the issue should not be isolated to one country.
Instead, Pretoria called for a continent-wide debate on migration, citing the economic, political and security conditions that drive millions of Africans to leave their home countries in search of better opportunities elsewhere.
The AU ultimately backed the broader approach, effectively sidelining Ghana's proposal for a South Africa-focused discussion.
