Ghana has rejected planned bilateral meetings with South Africa that were to be co-chaired by President John Dramani Mahama and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, citing concerns that a wave of anti-migrant violence in South Africa could overshadow the visit.
The decision follows weeks of attacks and protests targeting foreign nationals in parts of South Africa, prompting Ghana to repatriate hundreds of its citizens and raising diplomatic tensions between the two countries. Ghanaian officials said the security situation and public sentiment made it inappropriate to proceed with the high-level engagement at this time.
South African authorities have condemned the violence and pledged to crack down on groups responsible for attacks on foreign nationals, while insisting that immigration laws should be enforced only by the state. President Ramaphosa has called for calm, saying criminality and vigilantism cannot be tolerated.
The postponement comes after reports that a Ghanaian national was killed during the recent unrest, although South African police dispute claims that the death was directly linked to the anti-migrant protests, saying the incident is being investigated separately.
Despite the delay, officials from both countries said diplomatic relations remain intact and that discussions are continuing to identify a suitable date for the meeting once tensions ease. Ghana has maintained that the protection of its citizens abroad remains its priority and has called for stronger measures to prevent further attacks on African migrants living in South Africa.
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