Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has announced that the United States has exempted Ghana from its latest visa restrictions, announced on Tuesday, December 16.
The Donald Trump administration revealed plans to expand travel restrictions to an additional 20 countries and the Palestinian Authority, doubling the number of nations affected by sweeping limits imposed earlier this year on who can travel and emigrate to the US.
Speaking during a farewell parade for Ghana Army Engineers deployed to Jamaica to assist with reconstruction efforts on Wednesday, December 17, Minister Ablakwa said Ghana’s exemption underscores the cordial relationship between the two countries.
“Last night, in the latest round of US visa restrictions, which affected almost all our neighbours, President Trump once again exempted our brother country, the Republic of Ghana.
“We are grateful to President Mahama for leading our foreign policy efforts,” he said.
President Donald Trump has expanded a US travel ban, barring nationals of five additional countries and people traveling on Palestinian Authority-issued documents from entering the US.
The White House said the restrictions were intended “to protect the security of the United States” and will come into force on 1 January.
Full-entry restrictions will be imposed on people from Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria, as well as Palestinian Authority passport holders.
The administration also moved Laos and Sierra Leone, which were previously subject to partial restrictions, to the full ban list and put partial restrictions on 15 other countries, including Nigeria, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.
Trump, who has tightened immigration controls since returning to the White House in January, said the expanded travel ban was necessary because of what his administration described as failures in screening and vetting systems overseas.
Officials cited high visa overstay rates, unreliable civil records, corruption, terrorist activity and a lack of cooperation in accepting deported nationals.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
