US retains 11 African countries on travel blacklist as Ghana gets increased caution warning

The United States Department of State has listed 23 countries under its Level 4 travel advisory, warning American citizens against travelling to the destinations because of security risks and the government’s limited ability to provide assistance.

The list, shared by the Department’s Consular Affairs office, places 11 African countries among the destinations classified as Level 4 - Do Not Travel.

The African countries are:

1. Burkina Faso

2. Central African Republic

3. Chad

4. Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)

5. Libya

6. Mali

7. Niger

8. Somalia

9. South Sudan

10. Sudan

11. Uganda.

Other countries on the list are:

1. Afghanistan

2. Belarus

3. Burma (Myanmar)

4. Haiti

5. Iran

6. Iraq

7. Lebanon

8. North Korea

9. Russia

10. Syria

11. Ukraine

12. Yemen.

The Department of State uses a four-level system to communicate travel risks to American citizens. Level 1 advises travellers to exercise normal precautions, while Level 2 calls for increased caution. Level 3 advises travellers to reconsider their plans, and Level 4 carries the strongest warning: Do Not Travel.

According to the Consular Affairs office, Level 4 advisories are issued based on local conditions or the US government's limited ability to assist its citizens in a particular country.

Meanwhile, Ghana is not included in the 23 countries classified under the Level 4 warning. The US Department of State advises American citizens to exercise increased caution when travelling to Ghana, citing crime, poor health infrastructure, violence against women and violence against lesbian and gay travellers.

Ghana is classified under Level 2, although the US government has identified some areas where travellers should reconsider visiting.

These include the northern border areas of the Upper East Region, the North East Region, the Upper West Region and areas west of the N12 highway in the Savannah Region, mainly due to crime.

The advisory highlights incidents of violent crime, including carjacking, street mugging, assault and rape. It also warns that medical infrastructure is limited, particularly outside Accra, and that serious medical emergencies may require evacuation.

The US government further advises travellers to remain alert, exercise caution when walking or driving at night, avoid displaying signs of wealth and ensure their travel insurance covers medical evacuation.

The different classifications mean Ghana is not subject to the blanket Level 4 Do Not Travel warning applied to the 23 countries. However, the advisory identifies specific security and health concerns that American visitors are encouraged to consider before travelling.