Romania recalls envoy to Kenya for 'calling Africans monkeys'
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Mr Dragos Viorel Tigau was at a UN building in Kenya’s capital when a monkey appeared at the window of the conference room.
PHOTO: MOSES WETANG'ULA/TWITTER
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BUCHAREST – Romania on Saturday said it recalled its ambassador to Kenya for allegedly comparing a monkey to Africans while attending a meeting in Nairobi.
Mr Dragos Viorel Tigau was at a United Nations building in Kenya’s capital on April 26 when a monkey appeared at the window of the conference room.
“The African group has joined us,” he said, according to a note from the South Sudanese embassy in Kenya seen by AFP.
The Romanian foreign ministry said it was informed of the incident and “began a procedure to recall its ambassador”.
“We deeply regret this situation and offer our apologies to all those who have been affected,” it added, saying racist behaviour or comments are “absolutely unacceptable”.
Kenyan diplomat Macharia Kamau said the episode “appalled and disgusted” him.
“Utter shame attempts to cover up this disgrace. This (is) intolerable and unacceptable in any age, let alone (the) 21st century,” he wrote on Twitter.
The BBC said Romanian media were critical of Mr Tigau’s behaviour, and noted this is not the first time the country has been embarrassed by its diplomats.
In 2014, its ambassador to Armenia was recalled after making anti-Semitic jokes about Jewish bosses and questioning the morality of same-sex relationships.
In 2015, Bucharest was forced to apologise after invitations to a reception at its Paris embassy accidentally included unflattering descriptions of some guests. AFP
