Chadian president orders visa ban on US nationals after Trump’s ban

Chad has suspended the issuance of visas to United States citizens in response to the travel ban imposed by former US President Donald Trump.

President Mahamat Idriss Itno made the announcement on Thursday, June 5, via a Facebook post, instructing his government to enforce the new restriction in line with the principle of reciprocity.

“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,” Itno wrote. “Chad may not have planes to offer or billions of dollars to give, but we possess our dignity and pride.”

The US travel ban, initially introduced by Trump for national security reasons, affected 12 countries, seven of which are African. Chad joins Afghanistan, Congo, Yemen, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Sudan, Myanmar, Somalia, Libya, and Equatorial Guinea on the list.

The directive also imposed stricter visa restrictions on citizens from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. While the ban allows for exemptions at the discretion of the US Secretary of State on a “case-by-case” basis, critics argue that it disproportionately targets African and Muslim-majority countries.

The African Union has expressed concern about the policy, warning of its potential negative impact on diplomatic relations and regional cooperation. In a statement, the AU urged the United States to adopt a more consultative approach with the affected countries.