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General news for Thursday, January 21, 2021
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
01/21/2021
President Akufo-Addo first met Trump in September 2017.
“Africa is a continent of enormous and enormous potential and is experiencing very, very rapid economic growth and in many other ways. You have done a tremendous job, you face enormous obstacles to find your place but you have done a truly absolutely incredible job… ”said Donald Trump when he met a group of eight African leaders in September 2017.
Trump will, however, remain the first president of the United States in recent times not to set foot in Africa during his time in the White House. His first meeting with an African leader took place with Egyptian Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi in Washington in April 2017.
Trump has also drawn the ire of Africa and Africans with some of his statements, particularly the infamous “shit continent”, which he has flatly denied.
This article examines how the Trump presidency specifically interfaced with Ghana as a country. From meetings between the two leaders, Trump has linked the visits and “clashes” on social media launched from Accra to DC.
Trump meets Akufo-Addo and others on the sidelines of 2017 UNGA
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was part of a group of African leaders who met with Donald Trump in September 2017. At the lunch meeting, Trump presented a brief of his administration’s plans for Africa.
Other guests included leaders from Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal, South Africa, Ethiopia, Namibia – which Trump mispronounced as Nambia, – Nigeria, Uganda and Guinea. President Condé was also present as then president of the African Union.
October 2018: Melania meets Rebecca in Accra, visits Cape Coast
A year later, Trump’s most significant engagement with Ghana will come with Melania Trump’s African tour – her first solo visit on the wings of her Be Best foundation took her to Kenya, Malawi, Ghana and Egypt – in that order.
“The great First Lady of our country, Melania, is doing very well in Africa. People love her and she loves them! It’s a beautiful thing to see, ”Trump said in a tweet at the time.
During her two-day visit, the First Lady visited a medical facility – the Greater Accra Regional Hospital with First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo and also visited a former slave castle in Cape Coast to meet with chiefs traditional.
She had separate talks with Ms. Akufo-Addo and spoke to staff at the U.S. Embassy in Accra during her stay. She flew to Egypt, which was her last stop before returning to Washington.
January 2018: Shithole’s remarks applaud
January 13, 2018; President Akufo-Addo via Twitter responded to Trump’s infamous crappy comment. The tweet came after the claim was widely reported and despite Trump’s outright denials.
Akufo-Addo was not the only African leader to hit back at Trump. The President of Equatorial Guinea, Theodore Obiang Nguema, in an interview with the French channel described Trump as racist.
The language of @realDonaldTrump that the African continent, Haiti and El Salvador are “shitty countries” is extremely regrettable. We are certainly not a “shit country”. We will not accept such insults, even from a leader of a friendly country, no matter how powerful.
– Nana Akufo-Addo (@NAkufoAddo) Jan 13, 2018
October 2020: Akufo-Addo condoles with strengths on COVID infection
Fast forward to October of last year, Akufo-Addo and Rebecca sent warm words to the Trumps, after the White House confirmed the first couple had contracted coronavirus.
The tweet came at a time when #EndSars protests were raging in Nigeria. Where predominantly young citizens called for the demolition of a rogue police unit, SARS. Days later, Akufo-Addo tweeted calling for calm and an amicable resolution of the crisis.
My wife Rebecca and I send our best wishes to @realDonaldTrump and his wife, @MELANIATRUMP, after both contracting COVID-19. We wish them a speedy recovery.
– Nana Akufo-Addo (@NAkufoAddo) October 2, 2020
In November 2020, President Akufo-Addo tweeted his congratulations to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. The two had defeated Trump in hotly watched polls. In possibly the final White House statement on Ghana, Trump announced a delegation to attend Akufo-Addo’s inauguration on January 7, 2021 for a second term.
The full statement was as follows:
President Donald J. Trump today announced the appointment of a presidential delegation to attend the second inauguration of His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana, on Thursday, January 7, 2021, in Accra, in Ghana.
The Honorable Dr J. Peter Pham, Ambassador, United States Special Envoy for the Sahel region in Africa, will lead the delegation.
Member of the presidential delegation: The Honorable Stephanie S. Sullivan, Ambassador of the United States to the Republic of Ghana
Wrap
As for the Biden administration whose term began yesterday, President Akufo-Addo has yet to issue an official statement welcoming the new president.
Part two will look at political clashes between the two capitals, expulsions and visa restrictions and the military base deal that sparked protests in parts of the country.
On behalf of the Government and people of Ghana, I extend my warmest congratulations to the President-elect of the United States of America, Vice President @Joe Biden, on his decisive victory in the elections of November 3, 2020. 1/4 pic.twitter.com/qIWFjzYg9D
– Nana Akufo-Addo (@NAkufoAddo) November 7, 2020
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