Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby has announced the immediate suspension of visa issuance to citizens of the United States. This assertive move, declared via a Facebook post on Thursday, comes as a direct retaliation to a travel restriction order issued by U.S. President Donald Trump, which controversially included Chad among 12 affected nations.
In a statement underscoring national pride and the principle of reciprocity, President Deby declared, “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.”
The U.S. travel restriction order, a hallmark policy from President Trump’s first term, targets countries accused of having “deficient” screening and vetting procedures and historically refusing to accept the return of their citizens who overstay in the United States. Of the 12 countries listed for an outright ban, seven are African nations, making the continent the most heavily impacted by the policy. These include Chad, Somalia, Libya, Eritrea, Sudan, Nigeria, and Equatorial Guinea. Other nations listed in the broader travel and immigration restrictions are Afghanistan, Iran, Myanmar, Yemen, and Haiti. Additionally, specific visa restrictions were imposed on citizens of Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela, citing immigration-related concerns.
The African Union (AU) has already voiced significant concern over the U.S. travel restrictions, warning of their potential negative impact on diplomatic and socio-economic relations across the continent. In an official statement, the AU called upon the U.S. government to “adopt a more consultative approach” with the involved countries, emphasizing the critical need for mutual respect and dialogue in international relations.
