By James Amoh Junior
As Africa marks the 63rd anniversary of continental unity under the African Union (AU), renewed xenophobic tensions in South Africa against African migrants are reigniting debate over whether the continent is living up to the Pan-African ideals on which the movement was founded more than six decades ago.
The anniversary, celebrated annually on May 25 as Africa Day, commemorates the establishment of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 1963 by 32 independent African states determined to promote solidarity, defend sovereignty and support the liberation of the continent from colonial domination and apartheid rule.
This year’s celebration is on the theme: “Sixty-three (63) Years of Unity, Integration and Development – Let’s Celebrate Together.”
Across Ghana and several African countries, activities including flag-raising ceremonies, public lectures, policy dialogues and cultural performances are expected to mark the occasion.
Yet beneath the symbolism of unity and integration lies growing unease over recurring attacks on African migrants in South Africa, an issue many observers say strikes at the heart of the AU’s founding principles.
The debate intensified in recent weeks after the Government of Ghana formally petitioned the African Union to place xenophobic attacks in South Africa on the agenda of the AU Mid-Year Coordination Meeting scheduled for June in Cairo, Egypt.
In a diplomatic letter signed by Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Ghana described the attacks against African nationals as a matter of urgent continental concern and called for stronger action.
The letter argued that recurring violence targeting migrants undermined African solidarity, violated the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and contradicted the objectives of continental integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Mr Ablakwa further proposed stronger AU monitoring mechanisms, a fact-finding mission into xenophobic violence and dialogue initiatives aimed at promoting tolerance and Pan-African unity.
The diplomatic move has generated debate across the continent, particularly because South Africa occupies a unique place in Africa’s liberation history.
Many African countries, including Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia and Tanzania, supported South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle politically, diplomatically and economically during decades of racial oppression.
Thousands of South African liberation fighters found refuge across the continent while African governments mobilised support for the dismantling of apartheid.
It is this historical context that makes the resurgence of xenophobic attacks in South Africa emotionally and politically sensitive for many Africans.
South Africa, however, has rejected suggestions that the country tolerates xenophobia.
In a response issued by the South African Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation, the Government said it remained committed to Pan-African solidarity and had acted against violence and intimidation involving immigrants.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa recently condemned xenophobia during the country’s Freedom Day celebrations and acknowledged the role African countries played in South Africa’s liberation struggle.
“We did not walk alone into freedom. We were carried by a tide of solidarity from the nations of Africa,” he said.
South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Mr Ronald Lamola, also engaged his counterparts from Ghana and Nigeria to reassure them of his country’s commitment to protecting all residents and visitors.
Pretoria has argued that migration pressures, unemployment, economic hardship and undocumented migration had contributed to tensions within some communities.
South African authorities say the country hosts approximately three million migrants, most of them from other African countries, making it one of the continent’s largest migrant destinations.
The country insists that migration challenges should be addressed collectively through regional cooperation, governance reforms and economic development rather than blame and division.
Still, for many Africans, the incidents raise difficult questions about the future of African unity and whether the ideals championed by the founders of the OAU remain achievable.
Among the strongest advocates for African unity was Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, whose vision of a politically and economically united Africa became central to the Pan-African movement.
President Nkrumah believed that Africa’s liberation and development depended on continental solidarity and collective action.
His famous declaration that; “The independence of Ghana is meaningless unless it is linked up with the total liberation of Africa” remains one of the defining statements of Pan-Africanism.
Alongside leaders such as Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, Julius Nyerere of Tanzania and Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt, Nkrumah helped shape the formation of the OAU as a platform for African cooperation and liberation.
The OAU later evolved into the African Union in 2002 with a broader mandate that included peace and security, economic integration, democratic governance and socio-economic transformation.
Since then, the AU has launched several continental initiatives aimed at accelerating integration and development.
Among them is Agenda 2063, the AU’s long-term blueprint for transforming Africa into a prosperous and peaceful continent driven by its own citizens.
Another major initiative is the African Continental Free Trade Area, headquartered in Accra, Ghana.
The AfCFTA seeks to create the world’s largest free trade area by connecting more than 1.3 billion people and promoting the free movement of goods, services and investments across Africa.
However, the success of the AfCFTA and broader regional integration efforts depends not only on economic agreements but also on whether Africans can move, work and live across borders without fear of discrimination or violence.
For many, xenophobia represents one of the greatest contradictions to the AU’s integration agenda. If Africans are unable to feel safe in fellow African countries, questions arise about the practicality of continental free movement and economic integration.
The issue also reflects broader socio-economic pressures confronting many African countries.
High youth unemployment, poverty, housing shortages, inequality and pressure on public services have fuelled frustration in several societies, with migrants often becoming scapegoats during periods of economic hardship.
Unless governments address these structural economic challenges, xenophobic sentiments may continue to threaten regional stability and African unity.
Despite the tensions, many Africans believe the AU anniversary should remain a moment of recommitment rather than division.
They argue that the continent’s liberation history demonstrates the power of solidarity and that current migration challenges require deeper cooperation rather than nationalism and hostility.
For Ghana, which remains closely linked to the Pan-African project through Nkrumah’s legacy and its hosting of the AfCFTA Secretariat, the debate over xenophobia carries significant symbolic importance.
The country has consistently positioned itself as a strong advocate for African integration, diplomacy and peaceful coexistence.
As Africa commemorates AU Day at 63, the continent is reflecting not only on its achievements but also on unresolved contradictions within the Pan-African project.
While Africa has made progress in regional cooperation, democratic governance, trade and diplomacy, recurring tensions involving migration, identity and economic inequality continue to test the strength of continental unity.
Ultimately, the growing debate over xenophobia in South Africa serves as a reminder that African unity cannot exist only in speeches, declarations and anniversary celebrations.
For the AU’s founding vision to endure, many believe African governments and citizens alike must recommit themselves to the principles of solidarity, dignity, inclusion and shared humanity that inspired the Pan-African movement more than six decades ago.
As the African Union marks 63 years of continental cooperation and shared aspirations, the renewed debate over xenophobia highlights both the progress Africa has made and the challenges that remain.
For many observers, the true test of Pan-Africanism lies not only in commemorating unity through speeches and celebrations, but in ensuring that Africans can live, work and move freely across the continent in safety and dignity.
They argue that if the AU’s vision of integration and collective prosperity is to endure, African governments must confront the socio-economic pressures fuelling xenophobia while strengthening solidarity, tolerance and cooperation among member states.
