On Wednesday (4 June), US President Donald Trump signed a new travel ban affecting 12 countries, including seven in Africa: Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Somalia and Sudan. Burundi, Sierra Leone and Togo also face partial restrictions. President Trump justified the ban as a national security measure aimed at protecting the United States from foreign threats. The ban is set to take effect on Monday (9 June).
In a statement released on Thursday (5 June), the African Union (AU) expressed concern over the potential negative impact of these measures on diplomatic relations, educational exchanges, and commercial ties between Africa and the United States. The AU urged the US to engage in constructive and transparent dialogue with the affected countries.
