The President of the Transitional Government of Chad, Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, announced this Friday the prohibition of entry on the Chadian territory to American nationals. This measure, known as reciprocal, comes after the United States recently suspended the issuing of visas to Chadian citizens, citing “unspecified security concerns”. Faced with this unilateral decision of Washington, the Chadian Head of State was quick to react. In an incisive post on his official Facebook page, Mahamat Déby announced that he had “instructed the government to act in accordance with the principles of reciprocity and suspend the granting of visas to citizens of the United States of America”. But it is especially the second part of his message that has caught the attention of Internet users and observers of the international diplomatic scene: ” Chad has neither planes to offer, nor billions of dollars to give but Chad has its dignity and its pride “, he wrote, in what seems to be a direct attack on his American counterpart. This claimed position of firmness and sovereignty is already provoking various reactions. Some welcome the bold stance taken by an African country often perceived as dependent on Western aid. Others fear an escalation that could harm bilateral relations, notably in the field of security cooperation in the Sahel region, where Chad plays a central role. On the part of Washington, no official reaction has yet been registered at the time of writing.
Diplomatic tensions: Chad bans entry to US citizens in response to Washington
