President Donald Trump's reference to African "shithole" countries and reported resistance to more immigration from Haiti have provoked widespread anger as well as jokes at his expense around the world.

Mr Trump has since denied that he had used such derogatory language, but he was condemned nonetheless in many African nations, as well as in Haiti and El Salvador, and by international human rights organisations.

Here's how the world reacted to Mr Trump's comments.

Botswana wants to know if it's a 'shithole country'

African politicians and diplomats have been put in an awkward position by Mr Trump's remarks, with some hesitating to jeopardise their relationships with the US as others came out and labelled him a racist.

"Ours is not a shithole country and neither is Haiti or any other country in distress," said Jessie Duarte, the deputy secretary general of South Africa's ruling African National Congress.

The African Union, an organisation which promotes cooperation on the continent, said it was alarmed by Mr Trump's "very racist" comments.

Botswana's foreign ministry has even gone so far as to summon its United States ambassador to ask the Government to "clarify" if the derogatory remark also applied to Botswana, given that there were Botswana nationals living in the US and others who wished to go there.

Mr Trump's ambassador to Senegal was also summoned to explain his remark, as was the top US diplomat in Haiti, where there is no ambassador, State Department officials said.

Haiti also said it is "deeply shocked and outraged" by the comments on immigration, on the eighth anniversary of a devastating earthquake that killed about 220,000 people.

El Salvador President Salvador Sánchez Cerén said it has sent a formal letter of protest to the US Government, "also highlighting the value of Salvadorans and remembering there were compatriots who worked on the reconstruction of the Pentagon after the unfortunate terrorist attacks of 2001".

Others criticised Trump for not 'engaging his brain'

The condemnation has not just been confined to those targeted by Mr Trump's comments, with world leaders denouncing the President's comments.

Senior European Union politician Gianni Pittella said Mr Trump "has forgotten to engage his brain before talking" about immigrants and is not fit for office.

A French Government spokesman says "silence" is preferable to any reaction in response to Mr Trump's alleged the comments.

Benjamin Grivaux said "we must keep a correct language, especially when we speak about countries that sometimes suffered from bad weather, a great poverty and that are in a great distress."

Former Mexican president Vincente Fox Quesada tweeted about Mr Trump, "Your mouth is the foulest shithole in the world."

"With what authority do you proclaim who's welcome in America and who's not. America's greatness is built on diversity, or have you forgotten your immigrant background, Donald? " he added.

Social media decided to own it

Some quickly decided to own the vulgar language.



"Good morning from the greatest most beautiful 'shithole country' in the world!!!" South African Broadcasting Corporation anchor Leanne Manas tweeted.

"Casual Friday at the White House is soon to include hoods and tiki torches at this rate," South African media outlet Daily Maverick wrote.

"As someone from South Shithole, Trevor is deeply offended by the President's remarks," The Daily Show, a US program, tweeted of its South African-born host, Trevor Noah.

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Others shared pictures of their beautiful continent, saying that it wasn't the "shithole" Mr Trump reportedly said it was.

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Many listed their accomplishments, whether academically, socially or in the business world.

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In Kenya, East Africa's economic hub, political activist Boniface Mwangi pleaded: "Please don't confuse the #shithole leaders we Africans elect with our beautiful continent."

Kenyan political cartoonist Victor Ndula went further, using the comments to illustrate how "the White House sees Africa".

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While in the US, some speculated as to whether Mr Trump had labelled the wrong continent.

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US diplomats were left scrambling

In Washington and far-flung foreign capitals, US officials launched into urgent clean-up mode, according to The Associated Press.

American diplomats attempted to salvage their nation's bonds with Africa and Haiti as White House staffers fanned out to do television appearances in support of Mr Trump and reached out to Republicans on Capitol Hill to coordinate damage control.

Undersecretary of State Steve Goldstein, in charge of US public diplomacy, said Mr Trump has the right to "make whatever remark he chooses," calling it the benefit of being president.

He said Mr Trump's comments notwithstanding, it was diplomats' obligation to send the message to other countries that the US cares "greatly about the people that are there".

"Will they have to work extra hard to send it today? Yes, they will, but that's OK," Mr Goldstein said.

"That's part of the responsibility that they have. It doesn't change what we do."

But some doubted how much the diplomats could do. Grant Harris, who ran Africa policy at the White House under former president Barack Obama, said "it's almost impossible for diplomats to say something that would make an African government feel better".

ABC/wires