South Africa: Ghana completes the evacuation of its citizens victims of xenophobic violence

Ghana has ended the repatriation of its citizens exposed to xenophobic violence in South Africa. In total, nearly 1,900 Ghanaians have been brought back to their country since the start of the operation, Ghanaian Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa announced on Friday.

The last group of evacuees was welcomed by the Ghanaian Foreign Minister, who praised the successful completion of the operation. According to him, the government did not limit itself to the return of the citizens; it also planned measures to facilitate their resettlement.
The repatriated individuals received financial assistance for reintegration, a transportation allowance, medical care, and psychosocial support. The program also included free enrollment in the national health insurance system and assistance in finding employment.

The Ghanaian government also announced that it would continue to support the families of the four nationals who died during this period of violence.

This operation comes as South Africa has been facing a resurgence of xenophobic acts targeting migrants for several months.
In August, the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) raised the alarm about a situation deemed particularly worrying. The UN body indicated that several migrants had lost their lives and that approximately 50,000 people had been forced to leave their places of residence.

With the end of repatriation, Ghana is turning a new page in its emergency response plan, while maintaining support for nationals who have returned to the country.

Djamila Kambou