The precipitated departure and labelling of ambassador Ebrahim Rasool as persona non grata by US secretary of state Marco Rubio has more to do with intimidation, and not of being “a race-baiting politician who hates America and dislikes @POTUS”, referring to President Donald Trump by his X account handle.
While diplomatic etiquette dictates that ambassadors are expected to focus on building relationships, diplomatically find mutual beneficial solutions and avoid criticising the host country or its leaders, as this can be seen as disrespectful and damage relationships, Rasool did not abuse or embarrass his host country. In reality, he delivered an intellectual analysis of the rise of nativism and its global aftereffects and the crackdown on immigration, diversity, and equity programmes.
On the other hand, some ambassadors, especially US diplomats, have…
You're reading a preview of
Cape Argus (Digital) - 1 Issue, 2025-03-25