Nigeria and Ghana have agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation and champion a coordinated African response to the growing wave of Afrophobic protests and attacks against African migrants across the continent.
The commitment was made 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.
Both ministers expressed deep concern over the resurgence of Afrophobic sentiments and violence targeting African nationals, particularly in South Africa, describing such acts as a threat to African unity, regional integration and the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
They condemned xenophobia, Afrophobia and all forms of violence against fellow Africans, stressing that while migrants who commit crimes should be prosecuted in line with the rule of law, innocent and law-abiding African citizens must not become victims of mob attacks and collective punishment.
The ministers agreed to jointly ensure that the issue of Afrophobia is placed on the agenda of the next African Union Summit, while working with other member states to strengthen continental mechanisms for monitoring, early warning and preventive diplomacy to curb future incidents.
Earlier in the meeting, Ambassador Enikanolaiye commended the longstanding relations between Nigeria and Ghana and called for deeper strategic consultations and preventive diplomacy to address emerging issues before they escalate. He also conveyed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s goodwill message to Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama.
The Nigerian minister praised Ghana’s leadership in promoting Pan-Africanism and advancing reparative justice for Africa and people of African descent. He congratulated President Mahama on the landmark United Nations resolution on the Transatlantic Slave Trade and Ghana’s hosting of the Next Steps High-Level Conference, reaffirming Nigeria’s support for the campaign for reparative justice.
Responding, Ghana’s Foreign Minister congratulated Ambassador Enikanolaiye on his appointment and advocated action-oriented preventive diplomacy through direct and regular engagement between both countries. He also appreciated Nigeria’s support for the UN resolution on the Transatlantic Slave Trade and acknowledged the country’s active participation at the recent high-level conference on reparative justice.
Ablakwa highlighted progress made in the global reparations movement, including apologies from the Pope, the Church of England and the Church of Scotland, as well as efforts by several European countries to return stolen artefacts and advance restitution initiatives.
The meeting reaffirmed the enduring partnership between Nigeria and Ghana, with both countries pledging to continue working together within ECOWAS, the African Union and other multilateral platforms to promote peace, regional integration, mutual respect and the free movement of persons across Africa.
The two ministers also urged African Union member states to recommit themselves to the ideals of Pan-Africanism while promoting sustained public education and dialogue to combat prejudice and foster greater understanding among African communities.
