ACCRA, July 26 (Xinhua) -- The government of Ghana announced on Saturday its decision to resume the evacuation of its nationals from South Africa amid persistent xenophobic attacks.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the first batch of evacuees would arrive this Sunday, followed by another batch on Monday.

"The latest phase of evacuation is expected to cover about 1,000 Ghanaians and will be done in groups," according to the statement. Priority will be given to women, children, the elderly, persons with medical conditions, and students, it added.

Moreover, the statement said, "Our High Commission in Pretoria remains alert and has reactivated its emergency consular response as we stand ready to assist all Ghanaians living in South Africa to return home safely."

The government urged all Ghanaians in South Africa to remain calm, avoid areas of unrest, and ignore provocations, while cooperating fully with the Ghanaian mission to ensure a successful evacuation. ■