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Emmanuel Bombande, a peacebuilding expert and former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, has revealed that Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has petitioned the African Union (AU) to place the issue of xenophobic attacks against African nationals on the agenda of its upcoming mid-year summit.
Speaking on Metro TV’s on Monday, June 1, Bombande said many African countries are deeply concerned about the treatment of their citizens in some foreign countries and expect the AU to take decisive action.
According to him, even if the AU Commission is slow to respond because of institutional challenges, the Chairperson of the African Union should take the initiative to convene African leaders to address the escalating situation.
“Even if the African Union Commission wasn’t responding due to our weak institutions, at least the Chair of the African Union should have convened an engagement of African leaders to discuss these issues, precisely because many African countries are angry about what is happening,” he stated.
Bombande argued that the frustration among African nations stems from what they perceive as deliberate attacks on individuals based on their nationality. He warned that xenophobic violence, if left unchecked, could evolve into more dangerous forms of intolerance and violence.
“The anger is about people trying to deny what is happening after deliberately targeting individuals because of their nationality. When people are harassed and attacked because of where they come from, xenophobia can lead to killing,” he said.
He stressed that the recent attacks go beyond ordinary xenophobia and represent a level of violence that should be condemned by all African leaders.
Bombande also criticized claims that many Ghanaian returnees from South Africa were undocumented migrants, describing such assertions as misleading and unfair.
“It is wrong when people say the returnees were undocumented, and we must stop that narrative. Records show that about 80 per cent of the returnees were documented,” he stated, adding that the issue deserves serious discussion at the continental level.
The peacebuilder further urged Ghana to strengthen its democratic institutions and governance systems to maintain its leadership role on the continent.
“Ghana must reinvent its politics and rise above others in terms of our democratic credentials,” he said.
He also highlighted the vulnerability of foreign nationals living in host countries, noting that many endure humiliation and mistreatment simply to survive. According to him, such experiences can have severe psychological consequences and should receive urgent attention from the African Union.
“They take advantage of the vulnerability of foreigners by humiliating them, and many endure that humiliation in order to survive. Such experiences can lead to depression and other emotional challenges,” he noted.
Bombande further reassured the public that South African nationals living in Ghana remain safe, citing repeated assurances from Benjamin Anani Quarshie that there have been no threats or reprisals against South Africans residing in the country.
Source: Omanghana.com
