French President Emmanuel Macron says he shares the outrage over US President Donald Trump’s disparaging comment about Africa, arguing that such language hurts efforts to bring peace and development to the continent.
Macron tells the BBC’s Andrew Marr program in an interview broadcast Sunday that the words attributed to Trump — “shithole countries” — were inappropriate.
France’s President Emmanuel Macron and Germany’s Chancellor give a joint press conference at the end of a European Union summit in Brussels, on December 15, 2017. (AFP PHOTO / LUDOVIC MARIN)
“For sure,” Macron says. “It’s not a word you can use. And if we want, precisely, to build peace, development in these countries and a respectful relationship,” you can’t use those words “by definition.”
“And I think a lot of our issues in both the Middle East and Africa are due to a lot of frustrations, due to a lot of past humiliations and we have to understand that.” Macron adds. “And I do believe we have to respect all the countries. That’s what we owe them, and that’s much more efficient.”
Trump referred to African nations as “shithole countries” during a White House meeting on immigration this month, according to several participants. The president denied saying those words, though he acknowledged using tough language.
— AP
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