Africa Day: Prince Estifanos condemns xenophobia as migration tensions test African unity

As Africa commemorated Africa Day, growing tensions over migration, unemployment, and economic inequality have placed renewed focus on the continent’s fragile social cohesion, with Prince Estifanos Matewos warning that xenophobia and Afrophobia threaten Africa’s long-term unity and development.

In a statement on Monday, 25 May 2026, Prince Matewos called on African governments and citizens to reject hostility toward migrants and recommit to the founding ideals of Pan-Africanism at a time when anti-immigration sentiment is rising in several countries across the continent.

“No African is foreign in Africa,” Prince Matewos said, describing division and exclusion as dangers that could undermine decades of efforts aimed at continental integration.

His remarks come amid growing concerns over sporadic attacks targeting foreign nationals in parts of Southern Africa, where economic hardship, unemployment, and pressure on public services have intensified public frustration.

Migrants, both documented and undocumented, have increasingly become scapegoats for wider economic and social challenges facing urban communities.

Prince Matewos warned that narrow nationalism and anti-foreigner rhetoric risk weakening Africa’s collective voice at a time when unity is needed more than ever.

“Africa’s future cannot be secured through division, exclusion, or narrow nationalism, but through a renewed commitment to Pan-African ideals, shared prosperity, and collective responsibility,” he stated.

The intervention also highlights broader debates surrounding the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA) and the African Union’s long-standing vision of free movement across the continent.

While African leaders continue pushing for deeper economic integration and increased intra-African trade, migration remains politically sensitive in many member states.

The worsening economic inequality, youth unemployment, and competition for limited opportunities have contributed to growing resentment against foreign nationals in some countries.

However, Prince Matewos argued that Africa’s borders should not become instruments of division.

“Our shared history, culture, and aspirations outweigh the forces seeking to fragment African societies,” he said.

The royal leader also linked Africa’s social tensions to broader questions of economic sovereignty, arguing that true liberation cannot be achieved while African countries remain dependent on exporting raw materials and importing finished products.

“Political independence remains incomplete while African nations continue exporting raw materials and importing finished goods,” Prince Matewos said, calling for accelerated industrialisation, stronger intra-African trade, and investment in local manufacturing and value chains.

He identified the AfCFTA and Agenda 2063 as critical frameworks for building a prosperous and globally competitive Africa capable of reducing dependency on external markets and strengthening economic resilience.

Prince Matewos further emphasised the role of traditional institutions, including kingdoms and chiefdoms, in preserving social stability, indigenous knowledge, and community cohesion during periods of economic and political uncertainty.

This also comes at a critical moment for the continent as African nations confront multiple pressures, including insecurity in the Sahel and Horn of Africa, climate-related displacement, and intensifying geopolitical competition among global powers seeking influence in Africa’s strategic sectors.

At the same time, African governments continue advocating for greater representation in international institutions and stronger continental solutions to shared challenges.