The Japanese word for suicide is hara-kiri. That is what the US President would have committed if he had stuck to his guns about insulting Africa. Surprisingly, all of seventy-eight former American envoys to various African countries stepped into the ugly situation. They fired a letter to Mr. Trump advising him to stop insulting and marginalizing Africa. It appears the man is now recanting.
Last Friday, President Trump sat with the African Union Chairman, President Paul Kagame of Rwanda in Davos, Switzerland, and asked him to pass on his “warmest regards” to other regional leaders at the coming summit.
The US leader congratulated President Kagame on taking over as the Chairman of the African bloc, which he called a “great honour. I know you’re going to your first meeting shortly. Please give my warmest regards to other Heads of State,” Trump told Kagame after they held a one-on-one meeting at the World Economic Forum in Davos, last Friday.
Mr. Trump shunned journalists asking about his remark on “shithole countries”. The remark drew outrage around the world and prompted some African governments to demand explanations from their US ambassadors.
The 55-nation African Union chaired by Kagame demanded an apology, although Trump has denied making the remark as relayed by US lawmakers who were present at the meeting. Trump said he had “tremendous discussions” in Davos with President Kagame on the economy and trade.
Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Mahamat, has said that African leaders and their people are still in shock over the vulgar comments about the continent attributed to US President, Donald Trump. Mr. Mahamat stated this during the opening of the 32nd Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the AU in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The AU Executive Council meeting which usually lasts two days brings together foreign ministers of the 55 African Union Member States and senior AU officials.
The Executive Council will consider draft decisions and declarations of the session with recommendations for consideration by the Assembly of the AU Heads of State and Government, scheduled to take place between Thursday and Friday, this week.
