United States President Donald Trump is reportedly weighing the possibility of imposing a new travel ban that could affect Nigeria and 24 other African countries, according to a report by The Washington Post.
A memo signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday outlines a proposal that could lead to visa restrictions or outright entry bans on up to 36 countries. The majority of these nations are located in Africa.
The proposed move, the memo states, is based on updated benchmarks introduced by the U.S. State Department. Countries that fail to meet the requirements within a 60-day window may face travel restrictions.
Among the benchmarks cited are the inability of some governments to provide credible identity or civil documents due to the absence of a reliable central authority or widespread fraud. Others were flagged for having high rates of visa overstays by their nationals in the United States.
The memo also requires that affected nations submit an initial action plan to the State Department by Wednesday, outlining how they intend to meet the new standards.
While the U.S. State Department declined to comment on internal communications, the White House has yet to issue an official response to inquiries on the matter.
Here is the full list of the 25 African countries reported to be under consideration for the travel ban:
Angola
Benin
Burkina Faso
Cabo Verde
Cameroon
Côte d’Ivoire
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Djibouti
Egypt
Ethiopia
Gabon
Gambia
Ghana
Liberia
Malawi
Mauritania
Niger
Nigeria
São Tomé and Príncipe
Senegal
South Sudan
Tanzania
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Vanguard News
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