The Vice President of Equatorial Guinea has cautioned residents against travelling to the United States following President Donald Trump’s implementation of a travel ban on the nation.
“I recommend to my compatriots to stop going to the United States until the country reconsiders its decision,” Equatorial Guinea Issues US Travel Warning Following Trump Ban, whose father, Teodoro Obiang Nguema, is president, said on Tuesday.
Nevertheless, he maintained that Malabo enjoys “excellent relations” with Washington and regards the US as its “main economic partner and investor.”
Last month, the Central African country confirmed that it was in talks with the United States to accept third-country migrants as part of Trump’s extensive plan to expel undocumented migrants.
Alongside eleven other nations, Equatorial Guinea was listed in the travel ban, but Mangue claimed it “will not affect our country since fewer than 50 citizens travel to the United States each year.”
Numerous African nations have voiced surprise and concern regarding their inclusion on this list.
Chad, which has enacted a reciprocal suspension of visas for US citizens, stated on Wednesday that it has initiated “constructive dialogue” to resolve visa issues, as per the foreign ministry.
According to a recent Ichikowitz Family Foundation survey in Johannesburg, nearly 60% of young Africans are contemplating emigration within the next three years, primarily to search for employment. The report indicated that the United States was cited as their main destination.
Last week, the US Embassy in Malabo stated that 70% of Equatorial Guinean students and 22% of tourists who entered the US overstayed their visas.
Equatorial Guinea, an oil-rich nation with a population of just 1.6 million, had previously been insulated from the youth migration crisis affecting other African countries.
However, the economy has faced challenges due to declines in oil prices, resulting in a recession in 2023, with unemployment rising to 8.5%, according to the African Development Bank.
