Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has condemned xenophobia and rising hostility toward African migrants within the continent, warning that such attitudes threaten Africa’s integration and development goals.
Speaking as keynote speaker at the closing ceremony of the 3iAfrica Summit in Accra, Ablakwa said the continent cannot achieve economic and financial integration while Africans continue to mistreat one another across borders.
Ablakwa told delegates that the vision of a single African market under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and other regional initiatives requires a shift in mindset toward free movement and mutual respect.
He described xenophobia and discrimination against African migrants as a contradiction to the continent’s integration agenda, arguing that restrictive attitudes and hostile treatment undermine trust and cooperation among member states.
“Africa cannot pursue economic and financial integration while Africans continue to mistreat one another across borders,” he said.
The Minister urged policymakers to align national laws and public attitudes with Africa’s broader integration commitments, including the free movement of people, goods, and services. He stressed that integration must be felt at the level of ordinary citizens, not just in trade agreements and summit communiqués.
The remarks come as African governments push to deepen financial and digital integration, with fintech, trade facilitation, and cross-border payments featuring prominently at this year’s 3iAfrica Summit.
Context:
The 3iAfrica Summit, held from May 6–8 at the Destiny Arena in Accra, convened regulators, investors, and innovators to shape Africa’s digital finance future. The closing session focused on the policy and political conditions needed to scale inclusion and regional cooperation.
Ablakwa’s intervention adds to growing calls for African states to dismantle barriers to intra-African mobility and address discrimination that limits the continent’s labor and innovation potential.
