Abayomi Azikiwe, the editor of the Pan-African News Wire

He made the remarks in reference to U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent comments about African countries.

“These utterances by Trump are not a manifestations of the self-assuredness of the West. It is a clear sign of the weakness and desperation of a dying system gasping for breath seeking to project its declining power amid an irreversible decline,” Mr. Azikiwe added.

Here’s the full transcript of the interview:

U.S. President Donald Trump has provoked fresh controversy after allegedly asking a group of senators why the U.S. had to allow in immigrants from “s***hole countries” in Africa and the Caribbean. What could you say about this?

Abayomi Azikiwe: This was not surprising at all considering the history of racism, xenophobia and sexism within the campaign and presidency of Donald Trump. It reflects the fears of many whites in the United States that the growing numbers of people of color from African, Latin American, Asian, Middle Eastern and Indigenous heritages combined will become a majority within America around 2050. This portends much for the overall economic, political and cultural character of the country. The only way the racists can maintain control over the U.S. in the coming decades is to once again rationalize and justify white dominance of institutional and social life. Hence we see efforts to reverse the gains of the Civil Rights, Black Power, labor and women's rights movements of the last six decades. The reform of immigration laws in the U.S. only took place in conjunction with the advent of the Civil Rights Movement led by African Americans during the 1950s and 1960s. Historically immigration policy within the country has favored Europeans at the expense of people who are from Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Trump’s comment caused a backlash among African governments and people, with African Union countries demanding that Donald Trump “retract and apologize”. How important do you think the world’s reaction is regarding the U.S. president’s racism? And in what way do these comments affect the world, especially African nations?

Azikiwe: This is an important development on the international scene. Despite the continuing control of U.S. imperialism over the financial and economic world system, various states and regional organizations have come forward to denounce Trump. The African Union (AU), representing 55 member-states, has spoken out strongly against this explicit and repugnant form of racist discourse. Haiti, although a poor country which is still exploited by the U.S., expressed its opposition to American policy. Haitians who received protective status stemming from the earthquake eight years ago and other issues, are now being threatened with deportation. The same situation applies to El Salvadorians whose country was negatively impacted by a U.S. instigated genocidal war during the 1980s. The Republic of Botswana in Southern Africa has rejected Trump's racist rants about Africa. The African National Congress (ANC), the ruling party of the Republic of South Africa, held a press conference to express their dissatisfaction with Trump's views. The racist comments are designed also to further provide a cover for escalating Pentagon and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) attacks on African states such as Libya, Somalia and Niger. These military operations are carried out under the guise of fighting terrorism when many of these so called terrorist cells are a manifestation of Pentagon and CIA policy to defeat genuine progressive and revolutionary movements in Africa as well as other regions of the world.

Could you tell us about the United States’ foreign policy regarding African countries? How has the long history of U.S. intervention in Africa affected the region?

Azikwe: The U.S. was built on the forced removal and extermination of the Native Americans and the enslavement of Africans. That is the actual history of how the ruling class became the world's leading imperialist state. Washington and Wall Street have always been in opposition to genuine independence and sovereignty of African people over their land, resources, waterways and labor. The wealth of the imperialist nations was the direct result of the super exploitation of African people from the 15th century to the present. Consequently, the total liberation and unification of Africa is part and parcel of the world revolutionary movement which will inevitably result in the destruction of imperialism.

How has the U.S. foreign policy regarding Africa changed since Trump became president?

Azikiwe: There has been no fundamental change in policy, only in rhetoric. The U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) was formed under President George W. Bush, Jr. and has been strengthened and enhanced through the successive administrations of Barack Obama and now Donald Trump. Although Trump's rhetoric is hostile, at least he is honest in revealing that America seeks to continue as a racist white-controlled state. Nonetheless, these ideas are unsustainable and will be defeated through the organized resistance of the masses and the inherent contradictions within imperialism as a global system. These utterances by Trump are not a manifestations of the self-assuredness of the West. It is a clear sign of the weakness and desperation of a dying system gasping for breath seeking to project its declining power amid an irreversible decline.

Abayomi Azikiwe is the editor of the Pan-African News Wire. He serves as a political analyst for Press TV and RT worldwide satellite television news networks as well as other international media in the areas of African and world affairs.