Trump 'respects' Africa
In what appears to be a U-turn on his earlier comments on African countries, Donald Trump told the AU he deeply respects Africans.
US President Donald Trump in a new letter to African leaders says he “deeply respects” the people of Africa and that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will make an “extended visit” to the continent in March, his first in that role.
The letter dated on Thursday is addressed to African leaders as they gathered for an African Union summit this weekend in Ethiopia's capital.
US diplomats have scrambled for days to address shock and condemnation after Trump's reported comparison of African nations to a dirty toilet. Trump has said he didn't use such language, while others present say he did.
Many in Africa were taken aback by the comments after nearly a year of little attention to Africa by the Trump administration.
Concerns have been widespread over proposed deep cuts to US foreign aid and a shift from humanitarian assistance to counterterrorism.
AU 'frankly alarmed'
On Friday, Trump met with Rwanda's president and new African Union chair Paul Kagame at the World Economic Forum, calling Kagame a “friend.”
The 55-nation continental body's summit is expected to respond to Trump's vulgar remark. An AU spokesperson said the organisation was “frankly alarmed” by the comments, and a number of African nations have spoken out or summoned US diplomats to explain.
Trump's letter, seen by The Associated Press and confirmed by two US officials, says the US “profoundly respects” the partnerships and values shared by the US and Africans and that the president's commitment to strong relationships with African nations is “firm”.
The letter offered Trump's “deepest compliments” to the African leaders as they gathered.
It notes that US soldiers are “fighting side by side” against extremism on the continent and that the US is working to increase “free, fair and reciprocal trade” with African countries and partnering to “safeguard legal immigration.”
The letter gave no details on Tillerson's upcoming visit.
NAMPA/AP
The letter dated on Thursday is addressed to African leaders as they gathered for an African Union summit this weekend in Ethiopia's capital.
US diplomats have scrambled for days to address shock and condemnation after Trump's reported comparison of African nations to a dirty toilet. Trump has said he didn't use such language, while others present say he did.
Many in Africa were taken aback by the comments after nearly a year of little attention to Africa by the Trump administration.
Concerns have been widespread over proposed deep cuts to US foreign aid and a shift from humanitarian assistance to counterterrorism.
AU 'frankly alarmed'
On Friday, Trump met with Rwanda's president and new African Union chair Paul Kagame at the World Economic Forum, calling Kagame a “friend.”
The 55-nation continental body's summit is expected to respond to Trump's vulgar remark. An AU spokesperson said the organisation was “frankly alarmed” by the comments, and a number of African nations have spoken out or summoned US diplomats to explain.
Trump's letter, seen by The Associated Press and confirmed by two US officials, says the US “profoundly respects” the partnerships and values shared by the US and Africans and that the president's commitment to strong relationships with African nations is “firm”.
The letter offered Trump's “deepest compliments” to the African leaders as they gathered.
It notes that US soldiers are “fighting side by side” against extremism on the continent and that the US is working to increase “free, fair and reciprocal trade” with African countries and partnering to “safeguard legal immigration.”
The letter gave no details on Tillerson's upcoming visit.
NAMPA/AP
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