Humanitarian and security challenges continue to affect communities across Africa, requiring urgent international attention and coordinated responses. From xenophobic violence in South Africa to conflicts in eastern DRC and the Sahel, African nations are working together to address crises and protect vulnerable populations.
Evacuation from South Africa
Nigeria has completed the evacuation of its citizens from South Africa, airlifting nearly 1,500 people as anti-immigrant groups piled on pressure on undocumented foreigners to leave the country. Foreign nationals from several African countries including Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, Uganda and Zimbabwe have been leaving South Africa for weeks under government-assisted repatriation programmes.
South Africa, long a destination for documented and undocumented African workers, has been rocked by weeks of protests and unrest targeting immigrants, who stand accused of taking jobs and resources. The departures began after fringe South African groups ramped up demands for undocumented migrants to leave by June 30, sparking violent protests and clashes that killed at least four foreign nationals.
Malawi earlier in July brought back 38,000 nationals in just a month while Zimbabwe reported repatriating nearly 21,300 citizens. Uganda's government said around 1,100 of its nationals had been repatriated, while hundreds of Ghanaians, Mozambicans and Kenyans have also left.
Nigeria's foreign minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu called for South African authorities to investigate the June 28 killings of two Nigerians during "the ongoing xenophobic protests and attacks of migrants." South African police said the deaths were not connected to the protests, but authorities have been accused of not doing enough to stop the violence.
