Germany forced to apologize to the African Union over the leopard jibe
Germany apologizes to African Union for leopard jibe at Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that upset some Africans
Germany apologizes to African Union for leopard jibe at Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that upset some Africans.
Germany was forced to apologize on Thursday for using a leopard emoji in a childish jibe at Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Twitter that ended up offending some Africans.
The German foreign ministry poked fun at Russia’s top diplomat during his tour of Africa when it tweeted that he wasn’t there looking for leopards, but using the trip to try and justify Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The leopard emoji the foreign ministry used on its official account played off Germany’s decision to send advanced Leopard II tanks to the Ukrainian army.
But an African Union official took offense at what she said was the continent being portrayed as only about wild animals.
Seven women tortured by President Moi’s regime finally get justice
Rwanda shoots at DRC Congo military jet
DR Congo bloodshed is not Rwanda’s problem; Paul Kagame
Ebba Kalondo, the spokeswoman for African Union chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat, tweeted: “Foreign policy is not a joke nor should it be used to score cheap geopolitical points by illustrating an entire continent with colonial tropes”.
The German Foreign Ministry apologized and said that the tweet wasn’t meant to offend, but rather “to call out the lies that Russia uses to justify its imperialist war of aggression against Ukraine.”
Mr. Lavrov has visited South Africa, Eswatini [Swaziland], Angola, and Eritrea this week, where he has repeated his claims that the United States and its Western allies are using Ukraine as a tool in a “hybrid war” against Russia.
Many African nations still hold historical ties with Moscow.
South Africa was one of several to abstain from a U.N. vote last year condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Eritrea voted against the resolution alongside Russia, Belarus, North Korea, and Syria.
Also read,
U.S-Kenya Navy completes central partnership station in Mombasa
IIAG report details 20 sectors that deteriorated under Uhuru’s 10-year tenure
US church gifts DP Rigathi Gachagua Ksh124 million food donation
Follow us
