Egypt has become embroiled in a dispute with African diplomats after they accused an Egyptian official of referring to “dogs and slaves” in remarks about sub-Saharan Africa at a United Nations conference in Nairobi.
A formal complaint has been sent to the Kenyan foreign ministry after the alleged remark at the UN Environmental Assembly last week.
Egypt said it had no evidence that such a remark had been made by any of its officials. “It is completely unacceptable to make the mistake of generalising and making flimsy accusations against the Egyptian state and people that cast doubt on its African identity,” it said in a statement.
Chairwoman of the African Diplomatic Corps Technical Committee, Yvonne Khamati, said the remark was made following a disagreement on resolutions involving Gaza.
“During our consultations with Egypt, the head of the Egyptian delegation and current President of AMCEN [African Ministerial Conference on the Environment] dismissed our concerns by informing that they would speak in their sovereign capacity and to that extent, referred to Sub-Saharan Africa as DOGS AND SLAVES, in Arabic,” a letter by Khamati said.