Dragos Tigau, Romania’s ambassador to Kenya, was called back due to an incident in April of this year. Dragos Tigau allegedly made similar comments while conversing with other employees from various European Embassies while attending a global event.
On April 26, a monkey appeared at the conference room window while I was inside the United Nations headquarters in Kenya’s capital. AFP obtained a note from the South Sudanese embassy in Kenya that read, „The African group has joined us,” he added, „The African group has joined us.” The comment was obviously referring to the animal at the window because witnesses reported that no African group was present in the conference room at the time.
As the Ambassador did, calling Africans „monkeys” is a terrible diplomatic gaffe and an insult to all the African nations.
In a formal letter, the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its regret over the incident.
The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs mentions that regrettably, contrary to the institution’s rules, including those of conduct and ethics, the Romanian Ambassador to Kenya did not inform the MFA headquarters about the incident at the end of April 2023. Romanian ambassador to Kenya should return to Romania as soon as possible, and the MFA’s internal Control and Diplomatic Evaluation Unit should immediately scan the necessary procedures, including establishing internal measures to be taken in the given situation. We deeply regret this situation and offer our apologies to all those affected; any behaviours or comments of a racist nature are completely unacceptable. We hope it will not affect ties with African countries.
Romania’s ties with African countries won’t probably be affected to such an extent that it will matter. Still, all African nations will look differently at Romanian diplomats from now on. On one good sunshine day, all this will probably matter.
