Ablakwa says Ghana could evacuate more citizens from South Africa if the situation worsens

Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has stated that Ghana is ready to evacuate additional citizens from South Africa if the security situation worsens. He mentioned that the Ghanaian embassy in Pretoria has submitted a report to the foreign ministry, describing the current situation as "quite a dire situation" due to widespread anti-immigrant sentiment.

The minister highlighted that the developments were linked to a recent ruling by South Africa's highest court concerning asylum seekers. Ablakwa emphasized that the ministry's Consular and Humanitarian Affairs Bureau is closely monitoring the situation and assessing the welfare of Ghanaian nationals who may require assistance. He reiterated that the government has not ruled out further evacuations and would step in if renewed violence endangered Ghanaian nationals.

Ablakwa also pointed out that Ghana's 72 diplomatic missions across the globe are actively tracking the welfare of citizens in their respective host countries. Since last year, more than 6,300 Ghanaians have been evacuated from precarious situations worldwide, with 1,964 of them being evacuated from South Africa in the most recent operation.

Regarding Ghana's petition to the African Union over the attacks on foreign nationals, Ablakwa reported that the continental body had responded and indicated that the issue would be discussed at the next summit in January 2027. He declined to provide extensive details about the latest incident in South Africa, stating that he did not want to influence discussions expected at the summit.

However, the minister urged South African authorities to take stronger measures to prevent further attacks on foreign nationals and ensure the safety of migrants living in the country.