African leaders say they have
decided to refrain from issuing a resolution to criticise Donald Trump's
alleged reference to their nations as "shithole countries" because the
U.S. president sent them a letter expressing respect for the continent.
The leaders who met at an African Union summit in the Ethiopian
capital were initially set to demand an apology from Trump over the
remark reported by sources at a meeting on immigration with him this
month. Trump denies making the comment.
Reports of the comment touched a nerve because they come on top of
decisions by the Trump administration, particularly on visa
restrictions, that many Africans say unfairly penalize the continent.
As the summit was being held at ministerial level, the gathering
drafted a resolution calling on Trump to "publicly apologise to all
Africans".
Anything short of that would force them to suspend a cooperation
deal signed between Washington and the bloc, said the draft seen by
Reuters.
African leaders are "dismayed and shocked by the increasingly
consistent trend by the Trump Administration to denigrate of African
descent ... thereby promoting racism, xenophobia and bigotry," it said.
But a Jan. 25 letter sent by Trump prompted a change of tack at presidential level.
One summit official said the final resolution that is yet to be
released contains no reference to the issue after the leaders concluded
the meeting late on Monday.
"I want to underscore that the United States deeply respects the
people of Africa and my commitment to strong and respectful
relationships with African states as sovereign states is firm," Trump
said.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson would "travel to Africa for an extended visit," he said.
The AU Commission had "taken due note" of the letter, which wished
the summit success, Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat said during the
closing press conference.
Rwanda's President Paul Kagame, who met Trump last week on the
sidelines of the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, said
Trump's reported comment had no impact on the AU summit.
"When the United States decided to give us Trump as their president
we deal with that president of the United States. It is not an issue of
whether you appreciate him for this or for that, it is a job that he is
doing for his country," added Kagame, who assumed the African Union's
chairmanship this year.
He said both he and Trump had stressed the need for more cooperation.
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