# South Africa xenophobic attacks in AU debate

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/south-africa-xenophobic-attacks-in-au-debate
> Updated: 2026-07-29T21:51:47.000Z. Sources: 18. Developments: 2.

In late July 2026, Ghana’s President John Mahama urged the African Union to place South Africa’s wave of xenophobic violence on its agenda, citing dozens of deaths, the displacement of over 160,000 migrants and an ICC petition filed by two Ghanaians. He said the AU Commission chair had pledged to raise the issue at the February 2027 summit.

A week later Ghana formally asked the AU Executive Council to devote the October mid‑year coordination meeting to the violence. South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola rejected the request, arguing that the continent should discuss migration in a broader context. The council rejected Ghana’s proposal, opting instead for a wide‑ranging debate on migration drivers, and the topic will not appear on the October agenda, though Mahama reiterated that it remains slated for the February 2027 summit.

At the 29 July Executive Council meeting in Addis Ababa, Ghana’s request was again turned down, with Lamola emphasizing a continent‑wide migration discussion. Ghana has repatriated several hundred of its citizens and plans to evacuate about 1,000 more. Mahama secured a commitment from AU Commission Chair Mahmoud Ali Youssouf to raise the issue at the February summit, and Sierra Leone’s foreign minister also called for its inclusion. The diplomatic row has strained Ghana‑South Africa relations, leading to the postponement of a planned state visit by President Cyril Ramaphosa to Ghana, though both sides say the delay is unrelated to the xenophobia issue.

## Claims

- Ghana raised the issue of xenophobic violence in South Africa at the AU Executive Council meeting in Addis Ababa on 29 July 2026. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- South Africa's Minister Ronald Lamola opposed Ghana's proposal, arguing the AU should discuss migration broadly rather than isolate South Africa. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Ghana repatriated several hundred of its citizens from South Africa and announced plans to evacuate about 1,000 more. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama secured a commitment from AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf to place the issue on the agenda of the next AU summit in February 2027. (single source)
- Sierra Leone's Foreign Minister Timothy Musa Kabba called for the xenophobia issue to be placed on the AU Mid‑Year Summit agenda after Ghana was denied a floor. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-07-29: South Africa Blocks Ghana's Push to Spotlight Xenophobic Violence at African Union

Ghana sought to put South Africa's xenophobic violence on the AU agenda; South Africa blocked it, prompting a broader migration debate and diplomatic tension.

11 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/south-africa-rejects-ghanas-push-to-spotlight-xenophobia-at-au

### 2026-07-23: Ghana President Mahama pushes AU debate on South Africa xenophobic unrest

Ghana's President Mahama urges the AU to address South Africa's xenophobic attacks, stressing urgent discussion, citing ICC petition and regional solidarity concerns.

9 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ghana-president-mahama-pushes-au-to-address-south-african-xenophobic-attacks

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Cite as: South Africa xenophobic attacks in AU debate. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/south-africa-xenophobic-attacks-in-au-debate