Equatorial Guinea’s vice president has advised citizens against travelling to the United States following a new U.S. travel ban targeting the country.
Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, son of the long-serving president, called on citizens to stay away until Washington reconsiders what he described as a punitive measure.
Despite the ban taking effect Monday, Mangue maintained that ties with Washington remain strong, calling the U.S. “our main economic partner and investor.”
The central African nation recently confirmed talks with the U.S. about accepting third-country migrants as part of a broader deportation policy.
Mangue downplayed the ban’s impact, noting that fewer than 50 Equatorial Guineans travel to the U.S. each year.
Still, the announcement has sparked dismay among citizens. Deogracias Ndong, a young medical student, condemned the decision as “discriminatory and racist.”
“I had plans to study in the U.S.,” he said. “They have excellent training. This decision shuts doors for people like me.”
Equatorial Guinea joins eleven other countries affected by the ban, prompting a wave of criticism across the continent.
Neighbouring Chad responded with a reciprocal visa suspension for U.S. citizens, though it confirmed ongoing “constructive dialogue” with Washington.
A recent survey by the Ichikowitz Family Foundation found that nearly 60 percent of young Africans plan to emigrate in the next three years.
The United States remains the preferred destination, driven largely by employment opportunities and higher education.
However, the U.S. Embassy in Malabo cited high visa overstay rates—70 percent for students and 22 percent for tourists—as justification for the ban.
Once sheltered by its oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea now faces economic turbulence, with a 2023 recession and rising unemployment at 8.5 percent.
As young citizens look outward, the ban threatens to close one of their most desired doors.