African state reciprocates US visa ban
Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby has announced the suspension of visa issuance to Americans in retaliation for Washington's decision to ban Chadian nationals from entering the United States.
US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday imposing a full entry ban on citizens of 12 countries, including Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Somalia, and Sudan. He cited a range of concerns, including the presence of terrorist organizations, lack of security cooperation, high rate of visa overstays, and the refusal of some governments to accept deported nationals.
In a brief statement posted on Facebook on Thursday, Chad's leader said he had 'instructed the government to act in accordance with the principles of reciprocity and suspend the granting of visas to citizens of the United States of America.'
'Chad has neither planes to offer nor billions of dollars to give, but Chad has its dignity and its pride,' Deby added.
The new measures by the Trump administration, set to take effect on June 9, also target Afghanistan, Myanmar, Haiti, Iran, and Yemen. Travelers from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela will face partial restrictions. Exceptions will apply to lawful permanent US residents, dual nationals, diplomats, athletes and their relatives attending major sporting events, and those with family or adoption immigrant visas.
Congolese government spokesperson Thierry Moungalla said he believes the Republic of the Congo, also known as Congo-Brazzaville, was added to the US travel blacklist due to a 'misunderstanding.'
'Congo is not a terrorist country, is not home to any terrorist, and is not known to have a terrorist vocation. So, we think that this is a misunderstanding, and I believe that in the coming hours, the relevant diplomatic services of the government will contact the American authorities,' Moungalla said in response to a reporter's question during at a briefing in the capital, Brazzaville.
Somali Ambassador to the US Dahir Hassan Abdi said that Mogadishu stood ready to engage in dialogue to address the concerns raised. Sierra Leone, which faces partial restrictions, has also reportedly expressed willingness to cooperate with the White House.
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