Background

Four African countries are part of the new 6 countries affected by the US Visa restrictions. The 4 Africa countries are: Nigeria, Sudan, Tanzania, and Eritrea. The decision was arrived at after a review of approximately 200 countries using 3 criterion: whether a foreign government engages in reliable identity-management practices and shares relevant information; whether a foreign government shares national security and public-safety information; and whether a country otherwise poses a national security or public-safety risk with the United States of America. This move is huge especially for Nigeria, being Africa’s largest economy.

Reasons

Broadly, according to the ban, the affected countries did not comply with identity-verification and information-sharing rules.

Specifically:

• Nigeria: Nigeria does not adequately share public-safety and terrorism-related information, presents a high risk, relative to other countries in the world, of terrorist travel to the United States.
• Eritrea: Eritrea does not issue electronic passports or adequately share several types of information, Eritrea is currently subject to several nonimmigrant visa restrictions, Eritrea does not accept return of its nationals subject to final orders of removal from the United States
• Sudan: Sudan generally does not comply with our identity-management performance metrics and presents a high risk, relative to other countries in the world, of terrorist travel to the United States
• Tanzania: Tanzania does not comply with the established identity-management and information-sharing criteria assessed by the performance metrics. For example failures to adequately share information about possible Ebola cases in its territory. Tanzania also presents an elevated risk, relative to other countries in the world, of terrorist travel to the United States

The ban acknowledges efforts being made by affected countries and where possible some details on the collaboration efforts at inter-governmental level with US government.

Effects:

The policy affects US and Africa relations, aspiring migrants and non-aspiring migrants in different ways.

• For migrants, their dreams of migrating to the US may be derailed or delayed although they may be eligible for visitor’s visas.
• For non-aspiring migrants it is the loss of remittances that will be most affected. Remittances of about $24 billion was sent to Nigeria alone in 2018 
• People trafficking and smuggling to the US and other western countries from Africa is likely to rise
• It remains to be seen with time how this policy may affect Africa and US relations broadly.

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