Mali: G5-Sahel surprised by US decision to deny Chadians entry visas

28 Septembre 2017

BAMAKO,  Mali, September 28 (Infosplusgabon) -  The Presidency-in-Office of the G5-Sahel, headed by Mali's head of state Ibrahim Boubacar Kéita, has said it is surprised to learn of a US presidential decree adding Chad on the list of countries whose nationals will be denied entry visas to the US, the group said in a press release Thursday in Bamako.

The Presidency-in-Office of the G5-Sahel believes that this decision could affect Chad's commitment to the fight against terrorism in the region.

Established in 2014, the G5-Sahel includes Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Chad, with the objective of conducting a crusade against terrorism in the Sahelian strip.

Welcoming Chad's efforts in the fight against terrorism and cross-border crime in the region, the presidency-in-office of the G5-Sahel calls on the US authorities to understand the efforts of the G5-Sahel.

It expressed the desire to preserve the "excellent cooperation" involving Chad, the group and the US and called on the US authorities to lift the visa restrictions in order to maintain regional and international peace and stability.

For several years, Chad has embarked on a crusade against terrorism in the Sahelian strip, notably in Mali, where it has largely contributed to the expulsion of the jihadists who occupied the north of the country from March 2012 to January 2013 and is also engaged in the struggle against the terrorist group Boko Haram in Nigeria.

In a statement issued last Sunday, US President Donald Trump slammed Chad, Venezuela and North Korea with the ban on travel to the United States.

FIN/INFOSPLUSGABON/LJG/GABON 2017

© Copyright Infosplusgabon