By Favour Ulebor, Abuja
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, has called on the African Union to place xenophobic attacks against Africans, particularly Nigerians in South Africa, high on its peace and security agenda, insisting that no African should feel unsafe anywhere on the continent.
In a press statement on Wednesday signed by the ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, the minister made the call while receiving a high-level delegation of the African Union Peace and Security Council at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja following the Third Annual Joint Consultative Meeting between the AU Peace and Security Council and the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council.
Enikanolaiye described the recent attacks on African nationals in South Africa as unacceptable and contrary to the ideals of African unity, solidarity and integration on which the African Union was founded.
He disclosed that under the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Federal Government had evacuated affected Nigerians from South Africa through government-funded repatriation flights to ensure their safe return home.
The minister said the African Union should give greater attention to the issue while encouraging member states to address migration challenges through inclusive governance, economic development and expanded opportunities for their citizens.
He also reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to advancing the African Union’s goals of peace, security, democracy, good governance and regional integration, describing the AU Peace and Security Council as one of Africa’s most important institutions for conflict prevention and peacebuilding.
Speaking on security challenges across the continent, Enikanolaiye said Africa continues to face growing threats, including terrorism, violent extremism, transnational organised crime, unconstitutional changes of government and humanitarian crises.
He stressed the need for stronger cooperation among African institutions, better governance frameworks and more effective mechanisms for conflict prevention and sustainable peacebuilding.
On funding peace operations, the minister said Africa must reduce its dependence on external donors by developing sustainable financing mechanisms. He pointed to the ECOWAS Community Levy as a successful model that could be adapted by the African Union to strengthen its peace and security architecture.
Enikanolaiye also reiterated Nigeria’s support for the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2719 on financing African Union-led peace support operations, while urging African countries to increase their financial contributions to peace and security initiatives.
The AU delegation, led by Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the African Union and Chairperson of the AU Peace and Security Council for June 2026, Ambassador Nasir Aminu, briefed the minister on the outcome of the consultative meeting, which reviewed emerging security threats, ongoing peace initiatives and measures to strengthen cooperation between the AU and ECOWAS.
Also speaking, the African Union Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, commended Nigeria’s leadership in promoting peace, stability and regional integration, while reaffirming the Commission’s commitment to working with member states to tackle Africa’s growing security challenges.
