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Dulue Mbachu

The latest US visa restrictions on citizens of African countries are facing increasing criticism that they are not only punitive but also likely to backfire by driving those nations closer to China.
Since August 1, visa services have been suspended in 25 African cities, forcing applicants to travel to other approved locations, sometimes in another country.
Travellers from 30 African nations must also post a US$20,000 bond, which is refundable if they depart on time.
Separately, 26 countries face full or partial US visa bans, and many African nations were included in a broader immigration ban targeting 75 countries that was recently struck down by a federal court in New York.
Overall, Africa was the continent hardest hit by Donald Trump’s travel bans and visa restrictions.
The State Department justified the latest policy by saying it was intended to strengthen “national security by promoting more uniform screening, vetting and adjudication standards”.

But critics, including members of Congress, have warned that these policies may be hurting the country’s global standing and creating openings for China, which has long been keen to bolster its image as a reliable partner for Africa.
The continent holds 30 per cent of the world’s critical minerals, with China leading the way in securing mining rights and supply chains.
“The Trump administration is clearly thinking about US global influence in a different way than in the past” and is retreating from the idea of a “big global presence”, said Julia Gelatt, the associate director of the US immigration policy programme at the Migration Policy Institute, based in Washington.
“Stephen Miller, who is the White House adviser on immigration, has talked about stopping immigration from ‘Third World countries’, and it seems like some of that has really led to a focus on African countries,” she said.
Last year, the White House banned travel from 12 countries, including seven African ones, and partly restricted three other African nations before pausing immigrant visas for 75 countries worldwide, more than a third of them African, in January.
The most recent measures have now halved the number of US embassies and consulates able to issue visas in Africa.
Part of the justification for stopping immigrants from the poorer countries is that they are often refugees who then become dependent on government sustenance.
But administration officials have not provided proof that refugees are more likely to receive public benefits, according to the Migration Policy Institute.
“Some African populations are coming as refugees and other Africans are coming as very high-skilled workers, and those folks are not relying on government support,” Gelatt said. “Certainly, there have been accusations of racial bias.”
The policies pursued by the Trump administration against African countries, such as immigration restrictions and tariffs, may just be helping write China’s script in Africa, according to an August 6 report by the US Congressional Research Service.
The report said that while the US was imposing tariffs, China had cut duties on all African exports and was now pushing its currency, the yuan, as an alternative to the US dollar.
It added that Beijing was also criticising Washington for bullying other countries while presenting itself as a reliable alternative.
Henley & Partners, a UK-based firm specialising in global residence and citizenship planning, drew a contrast between the two countries in its latest Global Mobility Report.
The report concluded that “the current path of nationalism the US is following may result in isolation on both economic and political fronts” at a time when China’s openness could help it “to cultivate deeper international trust and cooperation”.
China appears set to further this advantage by expanding the number of countries eligible for visa-free travel.
Although critics have pointed out that so far this has only been extended to two African countries, Mauritius and the Seychelles, others have said African travellers would still find it easier to enter China than the US.
“My first business trips were to Italy, then later the US before China,” said Odi Otti, who runs Caltec Nigeria Limited, a firm that imports tools and machinery. “In my experience, getting a visa to China has been the easiest, all done in four or five days.”
With the current restrictions, Otti said he had no immediate plans to seek a US visa. “Not with those bonds and all the hostile behaviour,” he said.


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The White House has slashed the number of places issuing visas on the continent at a time when Beijing is looking to open its doors


The White House has slashed the number of places issuing visas on the continent at a time when Beijing is looking to open its doors.


China stands to gain from US visa restrictions targeting African countries

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The White House has slashed the number of places issuing visas on the continent at a time when Beijing is looking to open its doors

The White House has slashed the number of places issuing visas on the continent at a time when Beijing is looking to open its doors