Mahamat Deby, the president of Chad, has responded to Donald Trump's travel ban by suspending visa approvals for U.S. citizens. Deby made this announcement on Thursday, just a day after Trump implemented a proclamation that restricts entry for citizens from Chad and six other African countries, including the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Somalia, and Sudan. Trump stated that the ban aims to protect the U.S. from potential foreign terrorist threats and other security risks. In response, Chad declared it would adopt a principle of reciprocity by halting visa issuance to Americans.
In a Facebook post, President Deby stated, “I have instructed the government to follow the principle of reciprocity and suspend visa issuance to US citizens.” Meanwhile, the African Union Commission warned that the US's arbitrary travel bans on African countries could threaten the longstanding diplomatic relationships between the two regions. The commission urged the US government to take a more balanced and evidence-based approach in its decision-making.
