African envoys invite Trump to AU meeting to explain shithole remark

david nganga

January 19, 2018 2:27 PM

One of the envoys said “it could be useful” for Trump to address African leaders at the AU summit.

African U.N. envoys now want U.S. President Donald Trump to meet with African leaders in Ethiopia this month after he was reported to have described some immigrants from Africa and Haiti as coming from “shithole” countries.

The ambassadors met with U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley who told them she regretted the political drama around what was said a week ago at a White House meeting on immigration.

Reports indicate that South African U.N. Ambassador Jerry Matjila, who spoke on behalf of the group, told Haley that “it could be useful” for Trump to address African leaders directly when they meet in Addis Ababa at the African Union.

That meeting is due to take place on Jan. 28-29, according to the African Union website.

Haley however said that she was unaware of what was said in last week’s White House meeting and promised to convey the African ambassadors’ message to Trump when she meets with him in Washington on Friday.

This despite Trump denying using such derogatory language.

The U.S. mission to the United Nations declined to comment on the U.N. meeting beyond a tweet it posted, which read: “Thank you to the Africa Group for meeting today. We discussed our long relationship and history of combating HIV, fighting terrorism, and committing to peace throughout the region.”

African U.N. ambassadors issued a statement last Friday that said they were “extremely appalled at, and strongly condemned the outrageous, racist, xenophobic remarks attributed to the president of the United States.” They demanded Trump retract his remarks and apologize.

david nganga