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🗞️ Driving the news: US President Donald Trump has drawn criticism across Africa after praising Liberian President Joseph Boakai for his “good English” during a White House meeting with five African leaders
• Trump asked Boakai, whose country’s official language is English, where he “learned to speak so beautifully,” a remark many Liberians and other Africans denounced as condescending and ignorant of Liberia’s history and linguistic reality
• The Liberian government downplayed the issue, calling it a recognition of Liberia’s distinct American-influenced English
🔭 The context: Liberia was founded in the 19th century by freed African Americans and has retained English as its official language
• Trump’s comment comes amid a fraught history of his administration’s remarks about Africa, including his 2018 “shithole countries” remark and his criticism of South African land policies
• At the meeting, Trump also praised African nations’ natural resources and urged investment, while reiterating his “America First” stance and his promotion of English as the US official language
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Such diplomatic missteps risk undermining US engagement with African nations at a time when global cooperation on sustainability, resource governance, and climate adaptation is critical
• Africa’s role in the energy transition, biodiversity conservation, and supply of critical minerals makes respectful, informed partnerships essential
• Comments perceived as dismissive of African sovereignty and cultures could strain relations and hinder constructive dialogue on shared challenges
⏭️ What's next: The backlash underscores the need for more culturally sensitive diplomacy as the US seeks to deepen economic and strategic ties with Africa
• The White House defended Trump’s remark as a compliment, but civil society groups and African commentators have called for greater understanding of Africa’s linguistic and historical diversity
• Future engagements with African leaders may see heightened scrutiny of language and tone as Washington tries to strengthen its influence on the continent in competition with China and others
💬 One quote: “I felt insulted because our country is an English-speaking country… people in the west still see Africans as people in villages who are not educated,” — Archie Tamel Harris, a Liberian youth advocate
📈 One stat: English is the official language of Liberia, a country with a population of approximately 5.5 million, where it is used in education, government, and commerce
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