Romania recalls ambassador to Kenya, accused of racist remarks

2023-06-10T21:50:21.412Z

Highlights: Romania recalls ambassador to Kenya, accused of racist remarks in Nairobi. It took more than a month for the ambassador to be recalled to Bucharest. The charges against him date back to 26 April, when he said: "The African group has joined us" The Kenyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the UN office in N.airobi were also solicited, with the diplomat initially refusing to apologize. It is not the first time that Romanian diplomats have been singled out for such excesses, whether against people of color, or against homosexuals.

Romania announced on Saturday (June 10th) the recall of its ambassador to Kenya, condemning racist remarks recently made in Nairobi, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Romania recalls ambassador to Kenya, accused of racist remarks

Romania announced on Saturday (June 10th) the recall of its ambassador to Kenya, condemning racist remarks recently made in Nairobi, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Romanian Ambassador to Kenya Dragos-Viorel-Radu Tigau (far left) at a press conference at the Ukrainian Embassy in Nairobi alongside other European ambassadors, March 3, 2022. © AFP - YASUYOSHI CHIBA

Text by: RFI Follow

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With our correspondent in Bucharest, Benjamin Ribout

It took more than a month for Dragos Viorel Tigau to be recalled to Bucharest. Informed "only in recent days" of his departure from the road - at least he says - the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has resolved to urgently repatriate its ambassador, posted in the Kenyan capital for two years.

The charges against him, however, date back to 26 April. When, in the middle of a meeting with Eastern European diplomats at the UN compound in Nairobi, the Romanian representative, seeing a monkey at the window, said: "The African group has joined us".

A remark that logically aroused indignation, especially from African delegations, with letters in support. The Kenyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the UN office in Nairobi were also solicited, with the diplomat initially refusing to apologize.

African delegations also did not appreciate the slowness with which the case was handled.

On Twitter, Kenyan Macharia Kamau, former number 2 of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, denounced "a real shame to have tried to cover up such an ignominy, intolerable and unacceptable in the twenty-first century".

Bucharest is now keeping a low profile, even if it is not the first time that Romanian diplomats have been singled out for such excesses, whether against people of color, but also against homosexuals and people of the Jewish faith.

Romania recalls ambassador to Kenya, accused of racist remarks

Romania recalls ambassador to Kenya, accused of racist remarks

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