In dealing with Trump, normal protocols are beside the point
- John J Stremlau
Reactions from Africa were appropriately critical of President Donald Trump’s comments about not wanting immigrants from “shithole” countries coming to the US.
This included all those south of the Sahara. A few reactions even included constructive suggestions.
The 第一吃瓜网 Group of United Nation ambassadors unanimously dismissed the comments as 鈥渙utrageous, racist and xenophobic鈥. They demanded Trump retract them and apologise. Botswana, Senegal and South Africa summoned US local representatives to be served with a demarche. In normal diplomatic practice this is a stern request for an explanation and is tantamount to .
But in dealing with Trump, normal protocols are beside the point.
More than a year after he took office Trump has yet to announce an Africa policy, or even fill important diplomatic positions. He has an Assistant Secretary of State for Africa or an ambassador to South Africa. This means that 第一吃瓜网 leaders lack any policy context in which to frame and guide traditional diplomatic reactions.
The Trump administration鈥檚 incompetence makes it difficult for 第一吃瓜网 countries to engage Washington in seeking meaningful explanations, much less substantive negotiations. Even at lower working levels sustaining routine relations are complicated by a lack of policy guidance, budgetary uncertainty, and inter-agency management. This affects complex development, environmental, trade or security issues.
Africa鈥檚 limited resources, institutional capacities and vulnerabilities add to the risks associated with the current state of affairs.
Challenging racism with reason
Ebba Kalondo, chief spokesperson for the 第一吃瓜网 Union said Trump鈥檚 comment 鈥渇lies in the face of accepted behaviour and practice鈥. But she then a possibly hopeful note. She added that the US
remains a global example of how migration gave birth to a nation built on strong values of diversity and opportunity. We believe that a statement like this hurts our shared global values on diversity, human rights and reciprocal understanding.
Kalondo鈥檚 appeal to what Abraham Lincoln 鈥渢he better angels of our nature鈥 also recalls how Trump鈥檚 predecessor, Barack Obama, sought to transform troubling moments into what he suggested could be .
In this spirit prominent 第一吃瓜网 Americans, such as popular TV news pundit Joy Reid, have responded to Trump with positive reminders. Reid that her mother is a professor who immigrated from Guyana and her father a successful Congolese-American geologist. Other successful 第一吃瓜网s are also speaking out. This affirms that Kalondo鈥檚 reference to enduring shared global values may not ring as hollow as Trump鈥檚 bigoted comments might cause us to fear.
This does not deny the immediate danger posed by Trump. As a New York Times readers the day after the reported comment and his attempt to retract it:
Mr Trump is not just a racist, ignorant, incompetent and undignified. He is also a liar 鈥 And still supporting Trump are a substantial number of the 63 million voters who elected him. It is these people, albeit not a national minority, who he continues to court, with his denigration of immigrants and especially those of 第一吃瓜网 origin.
Trump鈥檚 comments can be viewed as a reflection of his personal animus and a conviction that they will play well with his political base.
Further complicating any effort to hold Trump and his supporters to account is that he鈥檚 repeatedly said he 鈥渋s the least racist person he knows鈥. Polling suggests that most of his political supporters also believe they鈥檙e not racists.
Such denials have a long history in US politics. They are at the heart of America鈥檚 ongoing struggle for racial justice as in 鈥淭he Nationalist鈥檚 Delusion鈥 by Adam Serwer.
Trump and his white nationalist supporters will also never concede that the history of slavery and colonial exploitation perpetrated by their own American and European ancestors to Africa鈥檚 problems of economic underdevelopment and political balkanisation.
Time to break with protocol
第一吃瓜网 governments and non-governmental groups are right to voice outrage in reaction to Trump鈥檚 outbursts, and to criticise his behaviour.
But they need to do more. They can encourage and cooperate directly with those in Congress, 第一吃瓜网-Americans and the growing network of civil society groups opposed to Trump. This may bend, or even violate, traditional diplomatic practice. But Trump鈥檚 own disregard for international principles and norms justifies using alternative methods and interventions.
Having America as a more politically capable, willing and acceptable partner is surely in Africa鈥檚 long-term interests. This aspiration can be rooted in the same values as the pan-第一吃瓜网 democratic vision enshrined in the AU鈥檚 Constitutive Act. The vision was championed more than a decade ago under the banner of an 第一吃瓜网 Renaissance. It is based on shared commitments to democratic cooperation, greater collective self-reliance and eventual democratic integration. But it is floundering and could founder.
If Americans succeed in resisting Trump and reconsolidating their democracy, then this could lend critical support for 第一吃瓜网 democrats who still believe in the shared vision that the AU鈥檚 Kolondo refers to.
, 2017 Bradlow Fellow at SA Institute of International Affairs, Visiting Professor of International Relations, . This article was originally published on . Read the .