SOUTH AFRICA — In response to escalating South Africa migration challenges, International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola is urging the African Union (AU) to adopt a comprehensive, continent-wide strategy rather than singling out individual nations for isolation.
Briefing the media on the outcomes of the recent 49th Ordinary Session of the African Union Executive Council, Lamola emphasized that migration is a complex continental phenomenon. He argued that it requires a collective, evidence-based response focused on root causes, rather than fragmented discussions that unfairly target a single country.
Consequently, South Africa has welcomed the Executive Council’s decision not to place migration on the agenda of the upcoming AU mid-term review meeting, opting instead to advocate for a broader, more inclusive dialogue.
Reviving the 2015 Johannesburg Resolution
At the core of South Africa’s strategy is a push to implement a long-standing AU decision. Lamola highlighted a resolution adopted during the 25th AU Assembly, held in Johannesburg in 2015, which called for a continent-wide migration conference.
“The 25th AU Assembly… called for an African migration conference to consider approaches to accelerate mobility and development within the continent, while addressing the challenges posed by increased irregular migration,” Lamola stated. He urged the AU to simply “dust it off from the shelves and put it on the table for implementation,” noting that the framework to manage migration flows and strengthen institutional capacity already exists.
Lamola firmly pushed back against what he described as “isolation attempts,” warning that framing the issue uniquely as a South African problem or solely focusing on xenophobia would result in a “zero-sum game.”
“If you just want to put it on an agenda and say xenophobia in South Africa, what will happen is that South Africa will be almost likely in some kind of court or inquiry where we must go there and defend ourselves,” Lamola explained. “What we are disagreeing with is to isolate it and make it a South Africa phenomenon.”
The Data Behind Africa’s Mobility Crisis
The urgency for a holistic approach is underscored by significant demographic and economic trends across the continent. According to research cited by the Minister, nearly 45% of Africans currently live outside their countries of origin, largely driven by necessity rather than choice.
Furthermore, the data reveals a stark outlook among the continent’s youth:
Nearly six in every 10 Africans between the ages of 18 and 25 have considered emigrating in search of better opportunities.
More than half of all Africans living outside their home countries choose to settle elsewhere within Africa, highlighting significant intra-continental mobility.
South Africa, Egypt, and Côte d’Ivoire continue to receive the largest share of these intra-African migrants.
Lamola stressed that these movements cannot be separated from broader developmental hurdles. A successful continental framework must examine the deep-seated pull factors and root causes of illegal migration, including climate change, economic instability, and democratic governance, while also providing space to discuss the drivers of anti-migrant sentiment and xenophobia.
To that end, South Africa confirmed it will continue cooperating with the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which is scheduled to visit the country to engage directly on these migration-related issues.
Advancing Agenda 2063 and Continental Mandates
Beyond migration, Lamola updated member states on several critical continental responsibilities currently spearheaded by South Africa. The nation continues to serve as the Chair of the Committee of Five (C5) on South Sudan and chairs the Ministerial Follow-Up Committee responsible for implementing the AU’s Agenda 2063.
Under South Africa’s leadership, the focus has remained on strengthening accountability, accelerating implementation, and mobilizing sustainable financing for Africa’s long-term transformation. As part of this mandate, Pretoria has recommended that the AU undertake a feasibility study to establish an Agenda 2063 Development Fund.
Lamola noted that the proposed fund is designed to complement existing African financing institutions, avoid duplication of mandates, and establish clear governance structures to support the continent’s development agenda.
Peace, Security, and the Luanda Summit
Addressing regional stability, Lamola welcomed the decision to convene an Extraordinary AU Summit on conflict prevention and resolution in Luanda, Angola, scheduled for August 29–30. He described the summit as a vital opportunity to give practical expression to the principle of “African solutions for African problems.”
In his capacity as chair of the C5, Lamola also urged the international community to support South Sudan in preparing for credible, inclusive elections under the Revitalised Peace Agreement, noting that only a legitimate electoral process can secure long-lasting prosperity and security for the nation.
However, the Minister reserved his strongest remarks for the worsening conflict in Sudan, describing the ongoing crisis as “one of the biggest moral failures in our lifetime” and a profound humanitarian catastrophe.
“South Africa will use this platform as a critical opportunity to mobilise the continent towards a structured intervention,” Lamola concluded, reaffirming the nation’s commitment to addressing the continent’s most pressing security concerns through unified, diplomatic action.