‘It’s full of pain’: UN’s Amina Mohammed supports AU talks on South Africa migration crisis

Cape Town – United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed has thrown her support behind ECOWAS’ move to refer concerns surrounding undocumented migration in South Africa to the African Union (AU) Assembly of Heads of State and Government.

Speaking to SABC News, Mohammed described the issue as “very emotional” and “full of a lot of pain”, saying many Africans feel the continent’s solidarity during South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle has been forgotten.

EXCLUSIVE | UN Deputy Secretary General Amina Mohammed has called on African countries to come together and resolve issues of migration, saying: ‘I think it’s a really sad time for us as Africans; the migration debate has been there and we have seen people lose their lives.’ pic.twitter.com/2EzMUVGEp1

— SABC News (@SABCNews) July 23, 2026

“It has to come to an end. We cannot treat each other that way in Africa… we have always projected ubuntu… that we are our brothers’ or our sisters’ keepers,” she said.

Mohammed said discussions at the recent ECOWAS summit in Sierra Leone were marked by strong emotions over migration and South Africa, adding that referring the matter to the AU was the right step.

“The emotion that was there requires a reaction that will bring us together… let’s take this to the AU is an incredibly important one, that’s our town hall for Africa,” she said.

She expressed hope that AU leaders would use the opportunity to seek lasting solutions to migration challenges and xenophobia across the continent.