ECOWAS Parliament orders probe into xenophobic violence in South Africa
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Lawmakers of the ECOWAS Parliament have directed an inquiry into the rising wave of xenophobic attacks against African migrants in South Africa, alongside ongoing security threats across West Africa.
The resolution was adopted during the parliament’s first ordinary session of 2026 held in Abuja on Tuesday, following a motion presented by Ghanaian lawmaker Alexander Afenyo-Markin. He described the issue as urgent and requiring immediate regional attention.
Parliament mandated its Committee on Political Affairs to examine both the attacks on foreign nationals in South Africa and recent terrorist incidents in parts of the region, particularly in Mali and Burkina Faso.
Raising concerns over the safety of West African citizens, Afenyo-Markin criticised what he called weak enforcement of regional agreements, including the ECOWAS free movement protocol.
According to him, citizens continue to face insecurity, harassment, and violence despite existing commitments.
He also pointed to growing tensions in South African cities such as KwaZulu-Natal, Cape Town, and Pretoria, where migrants from several African countries have reportedly been targeted, displaced, or killed.
While acknowledging statements by Cyril Ramaphosa condemning xenophobia, the lawmaker insisted that verbal condemnations must be backed by concrete action, including arrests and prosecutions of offenders.
The parliament further resolved to formally engage South African authorities and relevant continental bodies, urging transparent investigations and stronger protections for affected migrants.
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