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Chad slams reciprocal travel ban on US citizens

Chadian government has hit back at the United States with reciprocal travel ban after it was included in the list of countries whose citizens are barred from traveling to the American country under the new security alert level established by the Trump administration.

Chad’s President, Mahamat Idriss Deby, weekend declared that his country would now suspend the issuance of visas to U.S. citizens until Chadians are unbanned from visiting the U.S.

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Chad’s president declared in social media posts that he was directing his government to suspend visas to U.S. citizens “in accordance with the principles of reciprocity.”

“Chad has no planes to offer, no billions of dollars to give but Chad has his dignity and pride,” Deby said, referring to the $400 million luxury plane offered to his administration as a gift by the ruling family of Qatar.

President Donald Trump had earlier resurrected a hallmark policy of his first term when he announced the visa ban on 12 countries including Chad, accusing them of having “deficient” screening and vetting, and historically refusing to take back their own citizens who overstay in the United States.

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The new ban targets Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.

There will also be heightened restrictions on visitors from seven others in the new travel policy which takes effect this week.

The new travel policy has triggered varied reactions from Africa, whose countries make up seven of the 12 countries affected by Trump’s outright visa ban with some exemptions.

In the Republic of Congo, government spokesperson Thierry Moungalla said he believes the country was among those affected because of a “misunderstanding” over an armed attack in the U.S. with the perpetrators “mistaken” to be from the Republic of Congo.

“Obviously, Congo is not a terrorist country, is not home to any terrorist, 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 competent diplomatic services of the government will contact the American authorities here,” he said.

In Sierra Leone, among countries with heightened travel restrictions, Information Minister Chernor Bah said the country is committed to addressing the concerns that prompted the ban.

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“We will work with U.S. authorities to ensure progress,” he added.

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