America is set to announce new travel restrictions on several countries in Africa, according to Reuters, and will be applying similar restrictions to other countries in Africa, including South Africa.
The foreign policy think tank New York-based Hudson Institute, headed by Keith Payne, submitted the confidential State Department report to the advisory committee on American participation in the Intergovernmental Conference on African Unity, which is monitoring American participation in previous Africa summits.
Another draft draft that was obtained by Reuters says the new travel restrictions and a steep rise in visa fees would make travel between the United States and the affected countries less attractive.
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Citing an anonymous government official, Reuters said the new travel restrictions are mainly due to falling U.S. stock markets. The last market slump and rise before the attacks of September 11th 2001 contributed to a threat level warning about Africa which in the report was labeled “credible”.
The United States suspended diplomatic relations with Cuba in January over its refusal to take back fugitives and fugitives wanted for various crimes. Other countries would also be facing measures.
Of the eleven countries in the travel restrictions, eight are already being “previously requested” on the Africa Partnership Outreach Against Non-Surgical Uses guidelines, which are currently under review.
When asked about the proposed South Africa travel restrictions by SOONDUNews, the consul general of the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria declined to comment.