AU Chairperson Moussa Mahamat said on Thursday that African leaders and citizens are still in shock over the vulgar comments about the continent attributed to U.S. President Donald Trump.
Mahamat was speaking during the opening session of the 32nd Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the AU in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
“At the time of the convening of the meeting, Africa has not yet finished digesting the statements and pronouncements made by U.S. President which has deeply shocked through the messages of despise and hatred and the desire to marginalise and exclude Africa,” said Mahamat.
He also said Africa won’t keep quiet in the face of hateful comments.
Trump reportedly used the word “shithole” to describe African countries, Haiti and El Salvador while discussing immigration issues with U.S. lawmakers earlier this month.
Trump’s alleged remarks have caused outrage across the world with officials in African, European, Latin American countries and UN expressing condemnation and summoning U.S. diplomats in protest.
The AU Executive Council meeting will last two days and bring 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.
