The African Union (AU) has backed a broader discussion on migration, a South African government official said on Thursday, after Ghana made a proposal to place xenophobic violence in South Africa on the agenda of an upcoming AU meeting.
Ghana has been a prominent critic of anti-immigrant protests and xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
‘Victory for Pretoria’
Clayson Monyela, a South African foreign affairs official, said on X that Pretoria had defeated an attempt to “single out & isolate” the country.
“The AU will discuss the migration issue broadly & look at the ‘Pull & Push’ factors,” Monyela wrote, referring to conditions that drive people to leave their countries and those that draw them elsewhere.
AU to discuss migration broadly
Over the past few months anti-migrant protests have taken place in South Africa.
Ghana repatriated hundreds of its citizens ahead of a June 30 deadline set by a South African anti-migrant movement for undocumented foreigners to leave.
Local media reported that the AU had rejected a proposal from Ghana that would have meant xenophobic violence in South Africa was discussed as a stand-alone agenda item at the body’s mid-year coordination meeting in October.
Neither South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation nor a spokesperson for the Ghanaian government had any immediate comment.
- The African Union (AU) will discuss migration broadly, including the 'Pull & Push' factors influencing migration, according to South African official Clayson Monyela.
- Ghana proposed that xenophobic violence in South Africa be placed as a stand-alone agenda item at the AU's mid-year coordination meeting in October.
- The AU rejected Ghana's proposal to single out xenophobic violence in South Africa for specific discussion.
- Ghana has been a prominent critic of anti-immigrant protests and xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
- Ghana repatriated hundreds of its citizens ahead of a June 30 deadline set by a South African anti-migrant movement for undocumented foreigners to leave.
The African Union (AU) has backed a broader discussion on migration, a South African government official said on Thursday, after Ghana made a proposal to place xenophobic violence in South Africa on the agenda of an upcoming AU meeting.
Ghana has been a prominent critic of anti-immigrant protests and xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
Clayson Monyela, a South African foreign affairs official, said on X that Pretoria had defeated an attempt to "single out & isolate" the country.
"The AU will discuss the migration issue broadly & look at the 'Pull & Push' factors," Monyela wrote, referring to conditions that drive people to leave their countries and those that draw them elsewhere.
Over the past few months anti-migrant protests have taken place in South Africa.
Ghana repatriated hundreds of its citizens ahead of a June 30 deadline set by a South African anti-migrant movement for undocumented foreigners to leave.
Local media reported that the AU had rejected a proposal from Ghana that would have meant xenophobic violence in South Africa was discussed as a stand-alone agenda item at the body's mid-year coordination meeting in October.
Neither South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation nor a spokesperson for the Ghanaian government had any immediate comment.
