African Union issues appeal to Trump over travel ban
The African Union on Thursday issued an appeal to President Trump raising concern about the administration's travel ban affecting seven countries on the continent, calling for dialogue and cooperation on addressing the White House's concerns.
Trump issued a travel ban against 12 countries and restricted travel on people from seven more in an executive order Wednesday night. The ban extended to seven countries in Africa, while the travel restrictions impact three more countries on the continent.
'While recognising the sovereign right of all nations to protect their borders and ensure the security of their citizens, the African Union Commission respectfully appeals to the United States to exercise this right in a manner that is balanced, evidence-based, and reflective of the long-standing partnership between the United States and Africa,' the commission said in a statement.
The commission, which is the secretariat body of the union responsible for day-to-day activities, said it is concerned about the negative impact of the ban and travel restrictions on commercial engagement, people-to-people ties, educational exchange and broader diplomatic relations.
'The African Union Commission respectfully calls upon the U.S. Administration to consider adopting a more consultative approach and to engage in constructive dialogue with the countries concerned,' the statement continued.
Trump announced a travel ban against Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Somalia and Sudan. His order also included travel restrictions targeting three countries on the African continent: Burundi, Sierra Leone and Togo.
The Trump administration justified the expanded travel ban as a national security measure, saying the countries listed are places that lack proper vetting, exhibit high visa overstay rates or fail to share identity and threat information.
'The Commission appeals for transparent communication, and where necessary, collaborative efforts to address any underlying issues that may have informed this decision,' the African Union said.
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