South Africa has called for a continent-wide migration conference after weeks of deadly anti-migrant violence, mass departures and diplomatic pressure forced the issue higher up the African Union’s agenda.
The proposal could revive an AU framework linking migration to development, regional integration and governance. It also widens a debate that Ghana wanted focused directly on xenophobic violence inside South Africa, creating tension between continental reform and national accountability.
Pretoria revives 2015 AU decision
South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation said on July 30, 2026 that the AU Executive Council had decided not to discuss migration at the bloc’s October mid-term review meeting.
Pretoria instead urged the continental body to implement a decision adopted at the 2015 AU summit in Johannesburg. It called for an African migration conference to accelerate mobility and development, strengthen migration management and address irregular movement.
The foreign ministry said a future gathering should examine migration alongside peace, economic development, regional integration and democratic governance. It should also consider why anti-migrant sentiment grows and how governments can prevent xenophobia, discrimination and violence.
‘Migration is a continental phenomenon whose consequences extend beyond the jurisdiction of any single state,’ the ministry said.
No date, venue or list of participating countries has been announced. The initiative therefore remains a diplomatic proposal rather than a confirmed conference.
Violence drives departures
The call follows months of protests, intimidation and attacks against foreign nationals. Vigilante groups had ordered undocumented migrants to leave by June 30, while some activists conducted unauthorised identity checks or attempted to remove people from communities and workplaces.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has condemned the anti-migrant violence and insisted that immigration enforcement remains the responsibility of the state. His government has simultaneously announced tougher border controls and penalties for employers who hire undocumented workers.
At least four migrants have been killed during the latest violence, according to South African police, although some foreign governments have reported higher figures.
More than 176,000 people have left South Africa in recent weeks, according to an AFP tally based on official figures supplied by African governments involved in repatriations.
The wider departure figures include voluntary repatriations and deportations, although AFP’s tally was compiled from data supplied by African governments that repatriated their nationals. The total should not be presented as the number directly expelled by vigilantes or as proof that everyone left solely because of violence.
Ghana seeks direct scrutiny
Ghana has been among Pretoria’s most vocal critics. Accra sought to place xenophobic violence in South Africa on the agenda of the AU’s October meeting and has called for the attacks to be debated at the bloc’s next summit in early 2027.
South Africa opposed what it described as a selective approach focused on one member state. It argued that an effective response must also examine conflict, instability, weak governance and economic hardship in countries of origin, transit and destination.
That position captures a genuine continental problem, but it does not remove South Africa’s duty to protect migrants, investigate killings and prosecute those responsible for assault, looting and intimidation.
The disagreement has sharpened after Ghana demanded justice over the death of one of its citizens. It also raises a wider question: whether a broad migration process will reinforce accountability or allow urgent allegations to be absorbed into a slower diplomatic conversation.
Nigeria increases pressure
Nigeria has also urged South Africa to prevent further attacks, saying recurring violence against its citizens is damaging bilateral relations.
During talks in Abuja, Nigerian officials questioned reported police inaction and stressed that suspected offenders should face lawful prosecution rather than mob violence. South Africa pledged prosecutions, increased policing and stronger early-warning arrangements.
About 1,490 Nigerians have been repatriated since the latest outbreak, according to Nigerian officials cited by Reuters.
The dispute reflects the migration, policing and governance pressures that have repeatedly tested Nigeria–South Africa relations despite the countries’ strategic and commercial importance.
Migration tests African integration
South Africa remains a major destination for workers from across the continent because of its comparatively developed economy, established industries and regional transport links.
High unemployment, inequality and strained public services have made immigration politically volatile. However, claims that migrants are collectively responsible for crime, joblessness or failing services should not be treated as established fact.
The unrest is already reputational and commercial risks for South African companies elsewhere in Africa, showing how domestic xenophobia can become a foreign-policy and investment problem.
