The African group of ambassadors to the United Nations have issued an extraordinary statement condemning the “outrageous, racist and xenophobic remarks” by US president Donald Trump, and demanded a retraction and apology.

Former US ambassador to the UN Samantha Power has shared the statement on Twitter, saying: “Whoa. I’ve never seen a statement like this by African countries directed at the United States.”

The African ambassadors issued the statement following an emergency meeting after Mr Trump used vulgar language to reject an immigration bill, asking why the US would take in more people from Haiti and “s***hole countries” in Africa.

Mr Trump has denied using that language, but others present said that he did.

The new statement expresses concern over the Trump administration’s apparent increasing denigration of Africa “and people of colour”.

Ghana’s president Nana Akufo-Addo called Mr Trump’s remark “extremely unfortunate”, and said that “we will not accept such insults, even from a leader of a friendly country, no matter how powerful”.