The South African government has pushed back against Ghana
Image: DOCTOR NGCOBO Independent Newspapers
The South African government has pushed back against Ghana after Accra called for alleged xenophobic attacks against African migrants in South Africa to be discussed at the upcoming African Union summit in Egypt.
This comes after Ghana asked the AU to formally discuss the recent violence and intimidation targeting foreign nationals in parts of South Africa, saying the incidents had sparked concern across the continent.
Ghana also called for investigations into possible human rights violations and stronger protection for African migrants.
In a statement issued late on Friday, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation said the government had already condemned the incidents and acted swiftly through law enforcement.
"The South African government moved swiftly to condemn acts of confrontation and intimidation and directed all law enforcement agencies to promptly take the necessary actions within the laws of the Republic to guarantee the safety of citizens, residents and visitors and to bring to book all perpetrators whose actions are inconsistent with the rule of law and fundamental values of our Constitution,"
The department added that South Africa remains committed to engaging Ghana and other African partners through established diplomatic channels and warned against the spread of unverified information and social media content that could inflame tensions between countries.
It also said it was regrettable that the matter had been escalated to the African Union adding that "should the AU deem it appropriate to place the matter on the Agenda, South Africa will also propose an agenda item on the push and pull factors of migration".
"South Africa remains open to continued diplomatic engagement and constructive dialogue with any State on matters of mutual concern, hence South Africa finds Ghana’s decision to escalate concerns about irregular migration to the African Union regrettable.
"However, should the AU deem it appropriate to place the matter on the Agenda, South Africa will also propose an agenda item on the push and pull factors of migration, including good governance, rule of law, and democracy, in accordance with the Constitutive Act of the AU".
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