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The African Energy Chamber has denounced xenophobia and Afrophobia “in all its ugly forms,” warning that divisions on the continent’s streets undermine the pan-African unity preached at conferences.
Executive Chairman NJ Ayuk made the remarks on Wednesday during African Energy Week 2026 in Cape Town.
“We talk about shared growth, shared prosperity. Let me address an elephant in the room. We cannot preach pan-African and global unity in these air-conditioned halls while allowing division to take root on our streets,” Ayuk said.
“When foreign nationals and fellow Africans face hostility, it is a stain on our collective conscience.”
“We at the African Energy Chamber…stand against hatred for people from other countries, xenophobia or Afrophobia.”@energy_african chairman @nj_ayuk has called for an end to Afrophobia, describing hostility towards fellow Africans as incompatible with continental unity. pic.twitter.com/NQw34zYurZ
— News Central TV (@NewsCentralTV) October 14, 2026
‘No middle ground’
Ayuk said the Chamber stood firmly against xenophobia and Afrophobia.
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“We at the African Energy Chamber stand here today to firmly, unequivocally denounce xenophobia and Afrophobia in all its ugly forms. There is no middle ground and there should never be any middle ground when it comes to that,” he said.
He expressed support for South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s stance against hatred toward foreign nationals.
“We stand directly; we stand directly with the South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa. We declared we have taken a firm stand against hatred for people from other countries, xenophobia or Afrophobia,” Ayuk said.
