ActionAid Nigeria (AAN), a non-governmental organisation has condemned the xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
The NGO also called on African governments, and the African Union to speak with one voice and take the necessary steps in finding a lasting solution to the xenophobic attacks that has caused rage, loss of lives, and livelihoods on the African Continent.
This was contained in a statement signed by the communication officer of ActionAid Nigeria, Nihinlola Ayanda, and made available to newsmen in Lokoja on Sunday.
The statement said the Country Director, Ene Obi while highlighting the drivers of the dastard act attributed the situation to unemployment, poverty, widening gap of inequality, little investment in human capital development.
Obi added that lack of investment in the youths across the continent, and lack of service delivery which are governance shortfalls are the drivers of xenophobia and other associated reprisals.
“As an anti-poverty organisation, we are concerned about the situation and how it undermines Africa’s socio economic and political integration which is needed to fight poverty on the continent.
“For instance, the Africa Free Trade Agreement that envisages an African market without borders, provides for exchange of technology, sustainable development models among others may not yield the desired result, and these reprisals if not curtailed quickly will undermine efforts at building an integrated economic power that is able to compete and negotiate with regional blocs such as the European Union” the statement said.
