Washington advises against travel to 11 African countries
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Vanguard and Daily Post
The United States has placed 11 African countries at Level 4, “Do Not Travel”, its highest travel warning, due to serious security threats and Washington’s limited ability to assist its citizens on the ground. They are Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, Chad, DR Congo, Libya, Mali, Niger, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda. According to Vanguard, this classification is part of a travel advisory covering 23 countries, announced on Monday 9 November by the Bureau of Consular Affairs of the State Department.
The State Department says Level 4 means “Do Not Travel”. It is assigned based on local conditions and the limited ability of US authorities to assist Americans there. The countries concerned face varied challenges, ranging from terrorism and armed conflict to kidnapping, political instability and violent crime.
Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger are exposed to armed groups and extremist violence in the Sahel region, while Chad faces militant threats and political instability. In Somalia, attacks by the Shebab continue, and Sudan has been marked since April 2023 by war between the army and the Rapid Support Forces, which has caused a massive displacement of population and a severe humanitarian crisis. DR Congo is confronted with armed conflicts in its east, where communities have been displaced.
