Government to demarche US embassy official

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) will on Monday, 15 January 2017, demarche the Charges de Affaires (the second in charge) of the Embassy of the United States of America in Pretoria following the recent disturbing comments attributed to President Donald Trump.

The Department will provide an opportunity to the Charges de Affaires to explain the statement that African countries, alongside Haiti and El Savador, constitute "shitholes" from where migrants into the United States are undesirable.

The Department has noted President Trump's tweet on Friday, 12 January 2018, in which he denies making the crude and offensive statement. The Department has noted further that President 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. Africa is united in its affirmation of the dignity of the people of Africa and the African diaspora.

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.

Statement issued by Mr Clayson Monyela, DIRCO, 14 January 2018