visa

Italy Justifies Visa Suspension in Somalia MOGADISHU, Somalia - Italy has staunchly defended its recent decision to cease issuing visas in Somalia, attributing the hold-up to 'administrative issues' that are currently being sorted out by officials in an effort to bring stability back to the process. Pier Mario Dacco Coppi, Italy's ambassador to Somalia, dismissed rumors that the visa halt was linked to the shifting political scene in Somalia—a country building new alliances amid sovereignty concerns related to Ethiopia.…

Over the last ten years, the Somali passport has clawed back some of its lost prestige, moving up the ranks from a dismal 128th to a more respectable 95th on the Passport Power Index. However, challenges linger around how this document is distributed and its perception on the global stage.

Aida Diarra, the bigwig behind Visa’s Sub-Saharan Africa division, couldn’t contain her excitement about the business tie-up. “Teaming up with UNDP Somalia lights us up as we aim to bring the digital age and financial services to every nook and cranny of the region. With our smarts in digital payments, we want to give Somali small business folks and underserved communities a real shot at economic strength and sustainable living," Diarra shared with palpable enthusiasm. Lionel Laurens, the go-to persona at UNDP Somalia, shed…

US slaps extra Somalis with visa restrictions for undermining democratic course of WASHINGTON- The United States continued to demand widespread sense in Somalia's home politics, following the Horn of Africa nation's failure to conclude Lower House elections inside the agreed time-frame, which additional delayed the presidential elections. Somalia was purported to conclude elections on March 15,…

US announces visa restrictions for Ethiopian and Eritrean officials over Tigray conflict WASHINGTON - An unspecified number of officials from Eritrea and Ethiopia will not be able to obtain visas for the United States over what Washington links to atrocities committed in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, in a war that has left thousands dead, according to unverified reports. Since November 2020,…

The United States will impose visa restrictions on Eritrean and Ethiopian officials accused of adding fuel to the Tigray conflict, and regrets that they "have not taken significant steps to end hostilities". "The people of Tigray continue to suffer human rights abuses, atrocities, atrocities and need urgent humanitarian…