Romania has recalled its ambassador to Kenya after he likened African diplomats to monkeys during a meeting in Nairobi.
During the meeting, which occurred back in April, Ambassador Dragos Tigau spotted a monkey at the window of a conference room.
“The African Group has joined us,” Tigau said, according to a letter demanding an apology obtained by CNN.
According to the outlet, the comment outraged African diplomats who threatened to walk out of meetings attended by the ambassador.
“The African Group would like to condemn in strongest terms possible the insulting, racist and degrading utterances,” Chol Ajongo, South Sudan’s ambassador to Kenya, wrote in another document obtained by CNN.
Tigau issued two apology letters to African diplomats four days apart. He initially said that his comment was an attempt at "relaxing the environment" during “a long, heated, and highly debated meeting." He later withdrew that section.
Romania’s foreign ministry said that it learned of the April incident last week. The foreign ministry issued its own apology, saying it hopes the isolated incident wouldn't affect its "deep relations" with African countries.
“The Romanian MFA deeply regrets this situation, conveys its apologies to all those affected, and strongly rejects and condemns all behaviors and attitudes incompatible with mutual respect,” reads a statement.
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