Ghana Prepares to Evacuate Citizens From South Africa

Ghana's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, announced that the government is prepared to evacuate Ghanaian nationals from South Africa if security conditions deteriorate or lives are threatened. Ablakwa described the current environment as a dire situation, noting that instability is linked to a recent court decision regarding the rights of asylum seekers.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the Consular and Humanitarian Bureau (COHAB) and 72 diplomatic missions, is actively monitoring the welfare of citizens in distress. This potential action follows a previous effort that returned 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa. Ablakwa noted that since 2025, Ghana has evacuated over 6,300 nationals from various global crisis zones, including Libya, Myanmar, and Cambodia.

In response to the violence, the African Union has agreed to include Ghana's petition regarding attacks on its citizens on the agenda for the January 2027 summit. Ablakwa has urged South African authorities to implement measures to prevent recurring violence against foreign nationals.