The ECOWAS Council of Ministers has thrown its weight behind Ghana's petition to the African Union against xenophobia and endorsed the Accra Next Steps Commitments on Reparatory Justice, according to Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.

In a post shared on his official social media page, Mr Ablakwa said he had been participating in the ECOWAS Council of Ministers meetings in Sierra Leone ahead of the convening of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government.

He commended the Council of Ministers for unanimously supporting Ghana's petition to the African Union on xenophobia, describing the decision as a significant endorsement of the country's efforts to address the growing concern over attacks on foreign nationals on the continent.

Mr Ablakwa also announced that the Council had given its unconditional backing to the Accra Next Steps Commitments on Reparatory Justice, a framework adopted to advance Africa's campaign for reparations over the historical injustices of slavery and colonialism.

"We shall keep working tirelessly towards the attainment of Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah's dream of a united, tolerant and prosperous Africa," the Foreign Affairs Minister stated.

The ECOWAS meetings in Sierra Leone precede the gathering of the regional bloc's Heads of State and Government, where key issues affecting West Africa, including regional integration, peace, security and economic cooperation, are expected to dominate discussions.