The United States government says it will review the
immigrant visa ban placed on Nigerians.
In January, the United States imposed an immigrant visa ban
on Nigeria as a result of the country’s failure to comply with its established
identity-management and information-sharing criteria.
Speaking with reporters at the end of the inaugural meeting
of the US/Nigeria forum in Abuja on Wednesday, Mustapha Sulaiman, permanent
secretary, ministry of foreign affairs, said the ban will be reviewed.
Sulaiman said Nigeria has met almost 90 percent of the
requirements set by the US government, adding that the forum will serve as a
platform where both countries can improve on bilateral relations and address
concerns for the benefit of citizens.
“We have accomplished so much within a very difficult year,
but essentially we want to acknowledge the recognition, and put on record
Nigeria’s response to the concerns by the United States government in respect
of the immigrant visa restriction that was imposed on Nigerians,” he said.
“I want to say that we appreciate the acknowledgement and
the commendations from the United States government in respect of this
response.
“From the assessment of the recipient of our response, I
think we have accomplished almost 90 percent of the requirements that have been
set in that regard.
“And I am sure that if you follow the information that has
been passed on the level of compliance, for instance, sharing of information,
we have done so much in that regard.
“That is why I believe the US government is having the
comfort to even reevaluate. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have been candidates for
reevaluation. If we have to rate ourselves, from what has been done so far, we
should be about 90 percent compliant.
“The consular forum was agreed on earlier in the year during
the Bi- National Commission of the United States and Nigeria which was held in
Washington and that agreement is what is coming to push now.
“We have just had the maiden consular forum meeting today
and I want to put it on record that it has been a very successful meeting with
various issues that were discussed.”
Sulaiman commended the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS),
the US Embassy in Nigeria, and other stakeholders who worked to ensure that
Nigeria made appreciable progress to earn the commendation.
In her remarks, Mary Beth Leonard, US ambassador to Nigeria,
commended the country on the progress made in information sharing and other
concerns raised which resulted in the ban.
She said the presidential proclamation enjoins the US
Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State to prepare a report
addressing the measures that have been taken, which will then be submitted to
the White House for reevaluation.
“I have to congratulate Nigeria on its progress on greater
information sharing with the United States,” she said.
“We have reviewed the federal government’s report on
information sharing and we are inspired by the strides that Nigeria has made to
improve access to stolen and lost travel documents.
“And I am particularly encouraged by the September 7
announcement that the US provided Interpol router is successfully connected to
Nigeria’s Immigration Service and National Centre Bureau in Abuja. Washington
is extremely pleased about that development in particular.”
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