The ECOWAS Parliament has called for a formal probe into the rising spate of xenophobic attacks against African migrants in South Africa, amid growing fears over the safety of West African nationals.
The resolution was reached during the First Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament for 2026, held Tuesday in Abuja, after a motion of urgent public importance was introduced by Ghanaian legislator Alexander Afenyo-Markin.
Lawmakers agreed to task the Parliament’s Committee on Political Affairs with investigating recent incidents targeting citizens of ECOWAS member states in South Africa.
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Presenting the motion, Afenyo-Markin urged regional authorities to address the escalating insecurity affecting West African citizens both within the sub-region and abroad.
He cited recent outbreaks of violence in areas such as KwaZulu-Natal, Cape Town, and Pretoria, where migrants from countries including Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, and Ethiopia were reportedly killed, displaced, or had their businesses destroyed.
The Ghanaian lawmaker also criticised the disconnect between ECOWAS’ Free Movement Protocol and the realities faced by citizens, noting that border harassment and insecurity along regional routes continue to undermine integration.
He called for stronger diplomatic and legal measures, including direct engagement with South African authorities and regional human rights institutions, to ensure justice and protection for victims.
Afenyo-Markin stressed that mere condemnations were not enough, insisting that decisive enforcement steps must be taken to curb further violence.
After deliberations, the Parliament resolved to send formal communications to South Africa’s legislature and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, urging prompt investigations and prosecution of those responsible.
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