African Union countries have demanded that Donald Trump “retract and apologise” for comments reportedly referring to African nations as “shitholes”.
After an emergency session to discuss Mr Trump’s remarks, a group of 54 African ambassadors to the United Nations 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 colour”.
The group 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 added, demanding a “retraction and an apology”.
But they also thanked those Americans “from all walks of life who have condemned the remarks”.
The resolution was passed unanimously after four hours of discussions.
Mr Trump’s comments were allegedly made on Thursday at a White House meeting 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 US should accept immigrants from “shithole countries”, rather than – for instance – wealthy and overwhelmingly white Norway.
The President has denied using the derogatory term, but a Democrat present at the gathering said it was the “exact word used by the President, not just once but repeatedly”.
Senator Dick Durbin claimed the President said “things which were hate-filled, vile and racist”.
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