Chad’s President Hits Back With Visa Ban On US Nationals After Trump’s Restrictions

Chad has announced it will stop issuing visas to U.S citizens in response to President Donald Trump’s travel ban that included the Central African country.

President Mahamat Idriss Itno made the decision public in a Facebook post on Thursday, June 5, saying the move was based on the principle of reciprocity.

He said his government would enforce the visa suspension as long as the U.S. travel restrictions remained in place.

“I instructed the government to act in accordance with the principles of reciprocity and suspend the issuance of visas to citizens of the United States of America.

“Chad has no planes to offer, no billions of dollars to give but Chad has his dignity and pride,” President Itno wrote.

Trump’s earlier travel ban affected 12 countries, with seven of them in Africa. The list included Chad, Afghanistan, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Eritrea, Somalia, and others. The U.S. justified the restrictions on grounds of national security.

Some other nations, like Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela, faced tightened restrictions as well. The order did allow for individual waivers, depending on the case.

The African Union responded to the U.S. travel ban with concern, warning it could strain diplomatic ties and urging the U.S. to work more closely with affected nations instead of taking unilateral action.

KanyiDaily recalls that President Donald Trump recently signed a new order that restricts people from 12 countries from entering the United States, saying it’s necessary for national security.