WASHINGTON — Nigeria’s prime diplomat mentioned on Tuesday that he was “considerably blindsided” by the Trump administration’s ban on Nigerian immi
WASHINGTON — Nigeria’s prime diplomat mentioned on Tuesday that he was “considerably blindsided” by the Trump administration’s ban on Nigerian immigrants however that he had been assured by American officers that visa restrictions might quickly be lifted.
Geoffrey Onyeama, Nigeria’s overseas minister, mentioned that his authorities was already working to handle safety issues that Trump administration officers mentioned had prompted the choice, introduced final week, to reject visas for Nigerians in search of to immigrate to the US.
“We have been considerably blindsided with the announcement of the visa restrictions by the U.S.,” Mr. Onyeama told journalists at the State Department. However, he mentioned, “we all know — and the U.S. officers have additionally confirmed — that we have now been in a position to tick most of these packing containers.”
He mentioned that included efforts to straight share private information — together with immigrants’ legal histories, stolen passport info and suspected hyperlinks to terrorism — with the US and Interpol member nations.
“Hopefully, as soon as that has been achieved, we look ahead to being taken off this visa restriction checklist,” Mr. Onyeama mentioned.
Standing subsequent to him, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo mentioned that “Nigeria has room to develop in sharing vital nationwide safety info.”
“I’m optimistic that’s going to occur,” Mr. Pompeo mentioned.
Nigeria was one in all six nations the Trump administration added Friday to its list of nations whose citizens face strict travel restrictions to the US. The ban on Nigerian immigrants takes impact on Feb. 22; it is not going to stop journey by Nigerians coming to the US on pupil and sure employment visas.
In 2018, the most recent information obtainable, the State Division issued greater than 7,920 immigration visas to individuals from Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation.
Mr. Onyeama mentioned he realized concerning the immigration ban as he ready to go to Washington for an annual assembly between the US and Nigeria this week that’s billed by the State Department as in search of to “increase cooperation and advance shared objectives.”
Nigeria’s inclusion within the ban was first confirmed the week before it was announced, shocking the government of President Muhammadu Buhari. Mr. Onyeama mentioned the announcement initially had confused Nigeria’s authorities, however added that “it was very gratifying to come back right here, talking to U.S. officers, and to know extra clearly the reasoning behind this.”
American immigration legal professionals and immigration advocates observe that immigrant visas are extra fastidiously vetted than most customer visas, elevating questions on why they’d current a larger safety concern.
However Kenneth T. Cuccinelli II, the performing deputy secretary of homeland safety, defended the motion. “This very slender strategy, the place we attempt to do as little hurt to our pals like Nigeria as we presumably can whereas nonetheless maintaining America protected, does appear to be garnering the response we hoped for,” he mentioned in a separate interview on Tuesday.
Mr. Pompeo touched on the immigration ban solely briefly in his remarks. He mentioned the Trump administration thought of Nigeria a “strategic accomplice” in opposition to terrorism.
He additionally sought to salve the diplomatic bruise with the release of $308 million in frozen assets to Nigeria that have been stolen and laundered by the United States’ financial system through the 1990s by Sani Abacha, the nation’s army dictator on the time.
Mr. Pompeo referred to as Nigeria the US’ second-largest buying and selling accomplice in Africa, and mentioned American firms have helped create greater than 18,000 jobs within the nation. He additionally famous that Nigeria not too long ago purchased 12 fight propeller planes from the US, price $500 million, for example of the safety ties between the 2 nations.
Mr. Onyeama was cautious to sound upbeat throughout his remarks, and thanked Mr. Pompeo for listening “very attentively, and really sympathetically, I would say” to Nigeria’s issues about its relationship with the US.
However even in acknowledging safety points which are “causes of disquiet amongst our companions,” Mr. Onyeama mentioned extra might be executed to bolster commerce between the 2 nations.
With the addition of Nigeria to its checklist, the Trump administration’s journey restrictions will affect nearly a quarter of the 1.2 billion people in Africa, in response to the Middle for World Improvement. Specialists warn it might hurt African economies and create a vacuum that China, Russia and Turkey would fill.
Zolan Kanno-Youngs contributed reporting.