The United States is reportedly weighing the possibility of imposing travel bans or restrictions on nearly 40 African countries, according to an internal State Department cable obtained by Reuters.
If implemented, the expanded measures would significantly impact travel between the U.S. and many African nations, including some of its key regional allies such as Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, and Ethiopia.
Security, Documentation Concerns Cited
The classified communication outlines twelve grounds on which the proposed restrictions could be justified. These include concerns over passport security, unreliable identity documents, failure to accept deported nationals, and alleged involvement in terrorism or anti-American and anti-Semitic activities.
In total, 36 African countries are listed in the document. In addition to Nigeria, Kenya, and Egypt, other countries on the list include Angola, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Gabon, Ghana, Liberia, Malawi, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
The Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Gambia, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Tanzania, and South Sudan also appear on the watchlist. Countries have been given a 60-day window to address the identified concerns or risk partial or full travel restrictions.
Recent Travel Bans Already in Effect
This comes shortly after the U.S. government enacted new travel bans on Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Somalia, and Sudan. Additional restrictions were also placed on travelers from Burundi, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
The proposed expansion of travel limitations signals a hardening U.S. stance on immigration and border security, with African countries now accounting for a significant portion of targeted nations.
The potential policy shift has sparked concern among diplomatic and civil society circles, particularly regarding its impact on international collaboration, trade, and family reunification.
No official public statement has yet been made by the State Department regarding the reported internal memo.