President Bola Tinubu has declined to meet a special envoy sent by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, according to Presidency sources familiar with the discussions.
The South African delegation, led by International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola, arrived in Abuja on Friday carrying a message from Ramaphosa, according to Arise News.
The broadcaster understands the delegation sought a meeting with Tinubu without prior notice.
Xenophobic Attacks Strain Nigeria-South Africa Ties
The visit follows renewed xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other foreign nationals in South Africa, a recurring issue that has repeatedly tested relations between the two countries.
Abuja has continued to press Pretoria to better protect Nigerian citizens living in South Africa and to ensure accountability for the violence.
South Africa has faced periodic waves of xenophobic unrest over the past decade, with foreign-owned businesses and African migrants, including many Nigerians, often targeted during outbreaks.
Delegation to Meet Junior Minister Instead
With Tinubu unavailable, the delegation is now expected to meet Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, rather than the president himself.
Arise News reached out to Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and to Enikanolaiye for comment.
Neither had responded by the time of the broadcast.
The snub comes at a sensitive moment for diplomatic relations between Africa’s two largest economies, both of which play leading roles in continental bodies such as the African Union.
It remains unclear whether the change in meeting arrangements reflects scheduling constraints or a deliberate diplomatic signal from Abuja.
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Good move by the president. This is a well known concept in international diplomacy intended as a polite gesture of disapproval with a foreign government over certain of its actions or policies – in this case, the lacklustre response of SA government to the attacks by its citizens against Nigerians. I guess the envoy has to go home and president Ramaphosa comes personally if he’s serious about mending this broken relationship
Agreed, let him come and talk, or send his second in command (VP).
Honestly? Why would you send an envoy to a sovereign state without prior notice to the on seating president, and expect him to up and come running like your lap dog? These attacks ongoing in South Africa towards other African countries will be long etched in the hearts of many, do not forget, no state is self sufficient and must survive with ties to other states to ensure its survival.
South Africa should not complain when it is their turn to face the tunes, states keeping silence does not mean peace, states never forget.