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African countries unite at UN against Trump slur
UNITED NATIONS, United States, Jan 13, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – All African
countries at the United Nations unanimously demanded Friday that US President
Donald Trump retract and apologize for his reported denunciation of
immigration from “shithole” nations.
The African Group of UN ambassadors is “extremely appalled at, and
strongly condemns the outrageous, racist and xenophobic remarks by the
president of the United States of America as widely reported by the media,” a
statement said.
After an emergency session to weigh Trump’s remarks, the group said it was
“concerned at the continuing and growing trend from the US administration
toward Africa and people of African descent to denigrate the continent and
people of color.”
While demanding a “retraction and an apology” from Trump, the 54 countries
also thanked those Americans “from all walks of life who have condemned the
remarks.”
The resolution was passed unanimously after four hours of discussions.
“For once, we are all on the same page,” an ambassador told AFP.
The ambassadors did not consult their governments before issuing the
resolution, he said, adding that some could now expect to receive phone calls
from their capitals because of the text’s strong tone.
Trump’s comments were allegedly made on Thursday at a White House meeting
with lawmakers on immigration reform.
After lawmakers raised the issue of protections for immigrants from
African nations, Haiti and El Salvador, the president reportedly demanded to
know why the United States should accept immigrants from “shithole
countries,” rather than — for instance — wealthy and overwhelmingly white
Norway.
He tweeted a convoluted denial Friday in an attempt to quell outrage both
at home and abroad.
Earlier, the 55-nation African Union condemned the remarks, while Botswana
and Senegal hauled in the US ambassador to complain.
The comment “truly flies in the face of accepted behavior and practice,”
said Ebba Kalondo, spokeswoman for AU chief Moussa Faki.
Western Sahara is not recognized as a sovereign state by the UN and thus
not included in its African Group.
It is, however, part of the African Union, which Morocco left in 1984 over
the body’s recognition of the disputed territory’s independence, before
rejoining it last year.
BSS/AFP/MRI/0910 hrs