Focus on Africa How is Africa affected by the US travel ban?
Jun 6, 2025
Ricardo Fabiani, North Africa Director at the International Crisis Group, and Julius Mbura, Head of Advocacy and Legal at Enable in Kenya, delve into the geopolitical implications of the U.S. travel ban on African nations. They explore shifting diplomatic attitudes towards Western Sahara in favor of Morocco and address the dire need for digital inclusion for disabled individuals across the continent. Fabiani and Mbura highlight initiatives aimed at bridging the digital divide, emphasizing that only 16% of disabled people in Africa are online.
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US Travel Ban Reflects Disengagement
- The US travel ban targets vulnerable African countries mostly based on visa overstay and security concerns.
- The ban reflects a trend of US disengagement from Africa and a shift to transactional foreign policy.
Visa Overstay as Excuse
- Visa overstaying does exist but is unevenly targeted; some high-overstay countries are excluded from the ban.
- Overstay is more of an excuse than the true motive for the ban, which involves complex foreign policy deals.
Referendum Feasibility Debated
- A referendum in Western Sahara is highly problematic due to voter registration difficulty and political sabotage accusations.
- Morocco sees the referendum as an outdated option, favoring autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty instead.