In a memo over sweeping travel restrictions being discussed by the Trump administration, half of the 43 countries named are in Africa.
Following President Donald Trump‘s 20 January executive order requiring intensified security vetting of foreigners seeking entry into the US, his administration is gearing up to issue a series of travel restrictions for the citizens of 43 countries across the world – including 22 African nations.
The New York Times published a draft list, divided into three categories, of the proposed countries whose citizens may face a series of restrictions including a complete ban from travelling to the US.
South Africa, Nigeria are safe
Under the red list, whose citizens face a complete ban, three African countries – Libya, Somalia and Sudan – are grouped alongside eight others including North Korea, Iran, Syria and Cuba.
On the orange list, whose citizens would face additional travel restrictions instead of a complete ban, Eritrea, Sierra Leone and South Sudan join Belarus, Pakistan, Russia and four others.
Of the countries on the yellow list, whose citizens would be given 60 days to address concerns or risk being moved to another category, 16 are from Africa. They are Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cabo Verde, Chad, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, The Gambia, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, São Tomé e Príncipe and Zimbabwe.
