By Boakye Stephen, Kumasi, Ghana | Reporting for Ghanaian News, Canada | April 26, 2026
Calls for a stronger continental response to xenophobic violence in South Africa are intensifying.
Abirem MP and former High Commissioner to South Africa, Charles Asuako Owiredu, criticized the inadequacy of mere condemnations:
“It is not enough for South Africa and its police to issue a statement condemning it. We must involve other Ambassadors… and involve the African Union… once they see that we have this united front, they will deal with these acts.”
Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa confirmed diplomatic engagement and assurances from South Africa regarding investigations.
Journalistic Commentary (Boakye Stephen):
Africa’s greatest weakness is not external oppression but internal fragmentation. Xenophobia within the continent undermines every vision of Pan-Africanism. If African nations cannot guarantee safety for fellow Africans, then the dream of unity becomes rhetorical rather than practical. A coordinated AU response is not optional, it is essential for credibility.
