Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has urged Africans to stop viewing immigrants as a threat to national development, insisting that migration can be regulated without violating the rights of travellers.

He said immigrants and people travelling under Africa’s free movement protocols should not be treated as burdens on their host countries, arguing that the continent must embrace a more coordinated approach to migration while protecting the rights of all persons.

“We should not see immigrants and people who travel using our free movement protocols as people who are detrimental to our national progress. They are not parasites,” Mr. Ablakwa stated.

The minister made the remarks during a one-on-one interview on TV3’s The Key Points on Saturday, October 10, 2026, while responding to concerns over renewed tensions in South Africa following a decision by the country’s apex court on the rights of asylum seekers.

Mr Ablakwa maintained that African countries could establish effective migration management systems without abandoning the principles of free movement or infringing on the rights of people crossing their borders.

“We can have an arrangement where we have regulated migration, where the free movement protocols are respected, and where the rights of all persons are not violated just because they are travelers," he said.

The minister also reaffirmed his confidence in Africa’s integration agenda, describing himself as a perpetual optimist about the continent’s ability to achieve greater political and economic unity.

He said he remained committed to the vision of Ghana’s first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, who advocated a united Africa capable of securing economic independence for its people.

“I remain quite optimistic. I am a firm believer in the vision of Kwame Nkrumah that we can unite; we can form a political union that will lead us into economic emancipation,” Mr. Ablakwa said.

According to him, although Africa has made significant strides in its struggle against colonialism and external domination, the continent must now intensify efforts to tackle poverty and economic underdevelopment.

“We have won the battle against political subjugation, colonialism, and imperialism. We now must win the war against poverty, the war against economic underdevelopment. And I believe that can be achieved,” he added.

His comments come amid renewed debate over migration, asylum seekers, and the rights of foreign nationals in South Africa, reinforcing calls for African countries to balance border management with the continent’s broader commitment to regional integration and free movement.