SA to ask US envoy to clarify Trump remark

THE Department of International Relations and Cooperation will summon US embassy chargé d’affaires Jessye Lapenn following recent comments attributed to US President Donald Trump.

The department said it would provide Lapenn with an opportunity today to explain the statement made by Trump last week that African countries‚ alongside Haiti and El Savador‚ constituted “sh**holes” from where migrants into the US were undesirable.

It described the action it intended to take as a demarche, which is used by governments to gather information from a foreign government.

Governments may also use a demarche to protest against actions by a foreign government.

The department said it had noted Trump’s tweet on Friday in which he denied making the crude and offensive statement.

It had also noted Trump’s denial was not categorical‚ referring only to Haiti and not addressing the entirety of the statement attributed to him.

“South Africa aligns itself with the statements issued by the African Union and the Africa group of Ambassadors to the United Nations in New York‚” the department’s statement said.

“Africa is united in its affirmation of the dignity of the people of Africa and the African diaspora.”

It said relations between South Africa and the United States‚ and between the rest of Africa and the United States‚ must be based on mutual respect and understanding.

On Friday‚ the Botswana government said it had summoned the US ambassador to Botswana to express its displeasure.

“The Botswana government has also inquired from the US government‚ through the ambassador‚ to clarify if Botswana is regarded as a ‘sh**hole’ country, given that there are Botswana nationals residing in the US‚ and also that some Botswanans may wish to visit the US‚” Botswana’s ministry of international affairs and cooperation said. – TimesLIVE