By Omoyeni Ojeifo
As Afrophobic attacks continue to threaten the safety and dignity of African migrants, Nigeria and Ghana have agreed to work together to push for stronger continental measures aimed at preventing further violence and protecting vulnerable communities.
The Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday by its spokesperson, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, a copy of which was obtained by Persecondnews.
The agreement followed a bilateral meeting between Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Amb. Sola Enikanolaiye, and Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, during the ECOWAS Mid-Year Summit in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Enikanolaiye called for closer consultations and stronger cooperation between both countries.
He explained that preventive diplomacy would help resolve emerging disagreements before they develop into issues capable of straining bilateral relations.
The minister also congratulated 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 full support for the conference’s resolutions.
He conveyed President Bola Tinubu’s greetings to Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama and commended Ghana’s leadership in promoting Pan-Africanism and reparative justice for Africa and people of African descent.
In his response, Ablakwa congratulated Enikanolaiye on his appointment and advocated practical, action-oriented diplomacy driven by direct communication rather than bureaucracy to sustain relations between both countries.
He lauded Nigeria’s contribution to the High-Level Conference on reparative justice and extended his regards to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, for Nigeria’s commitment to the cause.
He welcomed Nigeria’s support for reparative justice, noting that apologies from the Pope, the Church of England and the Church of Scotland reflected growing international recognition of historical injustices against Africans.
Ablakwa also cited the return of cultural artefacts by several European countries, the repeal of the Code Noir and the establishment of institutions in France supporting the reparations campaign.
Turning to regional security, both ministers expressed concern over renewed Afrophobic protests and attacks targeting African nationals in South Africa, warning that such incidents undermine African unity, solidarity and regional integration.
Both countries condemned xenophobia, Afrophobia and violence against fellow Africans, describing such acts as inconsistent with the ideals of Pan-Africanism and harmful to the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area, (AfCFTA).
The ministers stressed that while migrants involved in criminal activities should face justice through lawful processes, and urged African governments to address the root causes of anti-migrant tensions through coordinated regional action capable of protecting the lives, dignity and rights of African migrants.
Both countries also agreed to place Afrophobia on the agenda of the next African Union Summit and rally support from like-minded member states for stronger continental action against xenophobic violence.
The proposed measures include enhanced monitoring, early warning systems and preventive diplomacy designed to identify tensions early and prevent future attacks on African migrants.
The ministers further urged African Union member states to recommit to Pan-Africanism, mutual respect and the free movement of persons while promoting public education and dialogue to combat prejudice across the continent.
The discussions reinforced Nigeria and Ghana’s resolve to use regional and continental institutions to tackle shared challenges, promote peaceful coexistence and safeguard the interests of Africans across the continent.
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