ECOWAS Parliament to investigate xenophobic attacks in South Africa

The ECOWAS Parliament has ordered an investigation into rising xenophobic violence against African migrants in South Africa, alongside a surge of terrorist attacks across parts of the West African sub-region.

The decision was taken on Tuesday during plenary at the first 2026 Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament in Abuja, following a motion of urgent importance moved by Ghanaian lawmaker Alexander Afenyo-Markin.

Lawmakers directed the Committee on Political Affairs to examine recent security incidents in countries such as Mali and Burkina Faso, as well as repeated attacks on ECOWAS citizens in South Africa.

Afenyo-Markin raised concerns over what he described as worsening insecurity affecting both intra-regional trade routes and migrant communities. He cited deadly attacks in Burkina Faso, including an incident on February 14 where armed militants reportedly attacked Ghanaian traders travelling in a convoy, killing several victims.

He also referenced escalating insecurity in Mali, noting that attacks along key transport corridors have disrupted regional trade and heightened fears among travellers.

Beyond terrorism, the motion also spotlighted xenophobic violence in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal, Cape Town, and Pretoria, where African migrants, including Nigerians and Ghanaians, have reportedly faced killings, displacement, and looting of businesses.

While acknowledging public condemnations by South African authorities, including President Cyril Ramaphosa, lawmakers argued that stronger enforcement measures are needed to protect foreign nationals.

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“A regional community that cannot protect its own citizens in transit has not yet earned its name,” Afenyo-Markin said, urging ECOWAS to move beyond statements to concrete accountability mechanisms.

The Parliament also resolved to communicate its concerns formally to South Africa’s legislature and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, calling for transparent investigations and prosecutions.

The move signals growing regional pressure on governments to address both cross-border insecurity in the Sahel and recurring xenophobic violence in Southern Africa.

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