The Ghanaian government has postponed an upcoming visit by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, following a wave of anti-migrant violence in South Africa that has strained diplomatic relations between the two nations.
The decision follows recent targeted attacks by groups of South Africans against undocumented migrants, during which several Ghanaian nationals were assaulted.
The violence sparked a swift diplomatic response from Accra. Samuel Ablakwa, Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, officially summoned Thando Dalamba, South Africa’s acting High Commissioner to Ghana, to express the country’s “strong concern” over the harassment and intimidation of foreign nationals. Following the diplomatic protest, the Ghanaian government began repatriating its citizens from South Africa.
While initial reports on Tuesday alleged that Ghana had flatly rejected Ramaphosa’s state visit as a deliberate “diplomatic freeze” to signal its displeasure, Ghanaian officials have downplayed claims of a rift.
Felix Ofosu, Ghana’s Minister for Government Communications, clarified in an interview with the broadcaster Joy FM that the decision was a mutual agreement to ensure the violence did not derail bilateral talks.
“Let me indicate that this is a visit that had been planned well in advance of the outbreak of the recent xenophobic attack,” Ofosu said.
“Indeed, it was slated to take place in early August 2026, but given the outbreak of these attacks and all the issues that have arisen therefrom, we sent a diplomatic communication to the South African government that we believe it is best to defer the visit until such a time when these matters have been resolved, and there is relative calm.”
Ofosu added that holding the meetings now would risk the anti-migrant crisis overshadowing the critical agenda items both countries need to discuss. “We believe that when matters settle… it will then be appropriate to have the visit,” he noted.
In Pretoria, South African Presidential Spokesperson Vincent Magwenya dismissed reports that Ramaphosa had explicitly requested a formal state visit. According to Magwenya, South Africa had simply been seeking confirmation from Accra regarding scheduling logistics for the third session of the Bi-National Commission, an event meant to be co-chaired by both presidents.
Despite the scheduling friction and the ongoing tensions surrounding migrant safety, the Ghanaian government emphasized that it continues to maintain cordial bilateral relations with South Africa.
