Nikki Haley voices regret to African UN envoys after Trump's racist remarks

Haley asked to meet the African ambassadors at the United Nations after they released a joint statement on Friday demanding an apology from Trump for his "outrageous, racist and xenophobic remarks."

Ambassador Anatolio Ndong Mba of Equatorial Guinea, who chairs the Africa Group, said the US ambassador did not offer an apology during the closed-door meeting, but she did express regret.

Haley told the meeting that "she was not there at the White House, she is not sure what was said, but she regretted all this situation that has been created," the ambassador said.

The US mission declined to say whether Haley had addressed the furor over Trump's remarks allegedly made a week ago at a White House meeting with lawmakers on immigration reform.

Ndong Mba said the Africa Group "made a recommendation" to Haley to defuse tensions, which she promised to pass on to Trump.

"We appreciate the fact that she came and she talked about all the cooperation between the United States with Africa," said Ndong Mba, who described the meeting as "very friendly."Diplomats, who declined to be named, said they had suggested that Trump send a friendly message to African leaders at their upcoming summit in Addis Ababa as a gesture of goodwill.

The US mission posted photos of the meeting on Twitter and said: "Thank you to the Africa Group for meeting today."

"We discussed our long relationship and history of combating HIV, fighting terrorism, and committing to peace throughout the region," it said in the post retweeted by Haley.