The ECOWAS Council of Ministers has thrown its full support behind Ghana’s petition to the African Union (AU) against xenophobia, while also giving unconditional endorsement to the Accra Next Steps Commitments on Reparatory Justice, Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has announced.
The endorsement, secured during the ECOWAS Council of Ministers meeting in Sierra Leone, is being hailed as a major diplomatic victory for Ghana’s campaign to combat xenophobic attacks across Africa and advance the continent’s reparatory justice agenda.
In a Facebook post on Sunday, July 19, Mr Ablakwa said the ECOWAS Council unanimously supported Ghana’s continental initiatives ahead of the meeting of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.
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“I commend the ECOWAS Council of Ministers for declaring full support for Ghana’s petition to the African Union against Xenophobia and for their unconditional endorsement of the Accra Next Steps Commitments on Reparatory Justice,” he wrote.
The Foreign Affairs Minister described the decision as an important milestone in Ghana’s diplomatic efforts to promote peace, unity and justice across Africa.
Pan-Africanism
Mr Ablakwa reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to advancing the ideals of Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, saying the country would continue championing African unity, tolerance and shared prosperity.
“We shall keep working tirelessly towards the attainment of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s dream of a united, tolerant and prosperous Africa,” he stated.
He noted that Ghana remains committed to working with regional and continental institutions to confront discrimination, protect African migrants and strengthen regional integration.
The ECOWAS endorsement is expected to reinforce Ghana’s petition before the African Union, where the government is seeking urgent continental action against recurring xenophobic attacks targeting African migrants, particularly in South Africa.
Government believes stronger regional backing will increase pressure for coordinated action to protect the lives, rights, and property of African nationals living across the continent.
The endorsement also gives added momentum to the Accra Next Steps Commitments on Reparatory Justice, which seek to advance discussions on historical justice and reparations for Africa and people of African descent.
Background
On May 6, 2026, Ghana formally petitioned the African Union to treat renewed xenophobic violence in South Africa as an issue of urgent continental interest.
In a letter addressed to the AU, Mr Ablakwa expressed concern over the deaths of African migrants, destruction of businesses, and persistent attacks targeting foreign nationals.
The government argued that the recurring Afrophobic attacks undermine the principles of Pan-Africanism, violate the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and threaten the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Ghana has maintained that protecting the rights and dignity of Africans across the continent is essential to achieving deeper regional integration and sustainable economic cooperation.