President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has taken Nigeria’s concerns over recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against Africans and other nationals in South Africa to the African Union.
Speaking through Vice President Kashim Shettima at the 21st Extraordinary Session of the African Union Assembly in Luanda, Angola, President Tinubu called for urgent collective action to address the attacks, warning that they threaten Africa’s solidarity, unity and peaceful coexistence.
The President acknowledged South Africa’s sovereign right to enforce its immigration laws, as well as its contributions to the continent.
However, he stressed that attacks targeting Africans require urgent continental attention.
President Tinubu therefore called on the African Union to place the issue on the agenda of its 40th Ordinary Session, scheduled for January 2027, for consideration and appropriate action.
The Nigerian leader also urged African countries to strengthen efforts against xenophobia and Afrophobia through dialogue, preventive diplomacy and collective action.
On the broader security challenges facing the continent, President Tinubu backed the adoption of the Luanda Action Plan as a practical framework for strengthening conflict prevention.
He maintained that preventing conflicts is more cost-effective and sustainable than managing them after they erupt.
The President also expressed concern over fragmented peace initiatives and growing external interference through foreign military forces, mercenaries and private defence contractors.
According to him, such developments could weaken African Union conflict-prevention mechanisms and undermine the principle of African ownership of the continent’s peace and security.
President Tinubu further called on countries that manufacture and export arms to work more closely with African nations to prevent weapons and ammunition from being diverted to terrorists and other non-state armed groups.
He noted that although the African Union has mechanisms for preventing and resolving conflicts, limited trust and inconsistent implementation continue to weaken their effectiveness.
Nigeria also supported sustainable and predictable financing for AU peace operations and called for the full implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2719.
President Tinubu urged African leaders to embrace home-grown solutions, stronger cooperation and shared responsibility in tackling insecurity across the continent.
He said Africa must renew its commitment to solidarity and cooperation in building a more peaceful and united continent.