President Tinubu Confronts South Africa's Xenophobic Attacks at AU

President Bola Tinubu has formally raised a significant concern with the African Union (AU), lodging a complaint against the persistent xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks targeting Africans and other nationals in South Africa. He unequivocally stated that these incidents gravely undermine the continent's fundamental principles of solidarity, unity, and peaceful coexistence. Delivering Nigeria's stance through Vice-President Kashim Shettima at the 21st Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union (AU) in Luanda, Angola, President Tinubu specifically urged the continent's leaders to take prompt collective action.

A key request from Nigeria is the inclusion of this critical matter on the agenda for the upcoming 40th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly, scheduled for January 2027. President Tinubu called upon African leaders to collectively reaffirm their commitment to ensuring the safety, protection, and dignity of all African nationals living within the continent. While acknowledging South Africa's sovereign right to enforce its immigration laws and recognizing its valuable contributions to the continent, Nigeria emphasized that such attacks necessitate urgent collective attention to uphold African solidarity and unity.

Beyond the immediate issue of xenophobia, President Tinubu advocated for stronger continental efforts to combat both xenophobia and Afrophobia, stressing that dialogue, preventive diplomacy, and collective action are indispensable for preserving African unity. Addressing the broader security landscape across Africa, Nigeria expressed its support for the adoption of the Luanda Action Plan. This plan is viewed as a practical roadmap for enhancing conflict prevention mechanisms, with President Tinubu asserting that preventing conflicts is inherently more cost-effective and sustainable than attempting to manage them after they have erupted.

However, President Tinubu also issued a stark warning regarding the efficacy of existing AU mechanisms. He cautioned that fragmented peace initiatives and increasing external interference, notably through foreign military forces, mercenaries, and private defence contractors, pose a significant risk of weakening the AU's established conflict prevention frameworks and eroding the crucial principle of African ownership. He further called on arms-producing and exporting nations to enhance cooperation with African states, aiming to prevent the diversion of weapons and ammunition produced within their jurisdictions to terrorist groups and other non-state armed entities.

Despite the AU possessing robust mechanisms for preventing and resolving conflicts, President Tinubu highlighted that their effectiveness is frequently undermined by limited trust among member states and inconsistent implementation. He reiterated that a growing reliance on external actors threatens to weaken African institutions and the principle of African ownership, urging member states to renew their commitment to collective responsibility for Africa's peace and security. Additionally, Nigeria advocated for sustainable and predictable financing for AU peace operations and called for the full operationalization of UN Security Council Resolution 2719, measures deemed vital for strengthening the continental body's capacity to respond effectively to conflicts and crises. President Tinubu concluded by appealing to African leaders to recommit to home-grown solutions, foster stronger cooperation, and embrace shared responsibility in tackling the continent's multifaceted security challenges, ultimately working towards the envisioned Africa.