President Mahama Urges Continental Action on South Africa Xenophobia Amid ICC Petition and Mass Repatriations

President John Dramani Mahama has called on the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to take decisive action against the recurring xenophobic violence in South Africa. Speaking during a meeting with AU Commission Chairperson Mahamoud Ali Youssouf in Accra, President Mahama emphasized that the attacks on foreign nationals, including Ghanaians and Nigerians, pose a significant threat to African integration. He disclosed that the Ghanaian government has incurred substantial financial costs chartering flights to evacuate its citizens, stressing the need for a coordinated continental response to address the trauma and economic strain inflicted on affected nations.

In a parallel diplomatic move, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa dispatched a high-level delegation to Accra to engage with President Mahama regarding the unrest. During these discussions, President Mahama maintained that transparency and open dialogue are essential for resolving the crisis and fostering regional unity, rather than jeopardizing bilateral relations. He further addressed the 69th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in Sierra Leone, where he urged West African leaders to focus on the robust implementation of existing protocols and treaties to protect citizens across borders, rather than merely proposing new agreements.

The crisis has also triggered legal and humanitarian responses at the international level. Two Ghanaian nationals, Palgrave Boakye-Danquah and Emmanuel Kotin, have filed a formal petition with the International Criminal Court (ICC), seeking a preliminary investigation into the violence as potential crimes against humanity. They allege that the South African government has failed in its duty to prevent the systemic targeting of African migrants. While South Africa's foreign affairs ministry has dismissed the petition as "opportunistic," the scale of the crisis is evidenced by the repatriation of over 100,000 Zimbabweans from South Africa amid the ongoing anti-immigration protests.

Responding to the escalating tension, AU Commission Chairperson Mahamoud Ali Youssouf has urged South African authorities to ensure that all immigration enforcement adheres strictly to the rule of law. He condemned the impunity of assailants and reiterated that while nations have the right to enforce domestic laws, they must protect the lives and dignity of all African nationals. As regional bodies face increasing pressure to intervene, the situation remains a critical test for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the broader vision of a borderless, integrated continent.