The United States has issued its highest travel warning for several African countries, advising American citizens against travelling to destinations where risks linked to conflict, terrorism, crime, kidnapping, and other security threats are considered severe. The US State Department has placed 11 African countries under its highest Level 4: “Do Not Travel” advisory. These countries are Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Libya, Mali, Niger, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda.
The US State Department’s Level 4: Do Not Travel is the most serious of its four travel advisory categories. The designation is used when the department determines that conditions present significant risks to American travellers and, in some cases, that the US government may have limited or no ability to provide emergency assistance. Level 4 is the highest warning issued by the State Department, and it reflects the US government's assessment of the overall conditions and risks relevant to American travellers.
The reasons for the warnings vary by country. Burkina Faso, for example, is under a Level 4 advisory because of crime, kidnapping, terrorism, and health risks. Chad's warning cites crime, terrorism, unrest, inadequate health infrastructure, kidnapping, and landmines. The Central African Republic is also listed at Level 4 because of unrest, crime, kidnapping, landmines, health risks, and terrorism. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the State Department cites health, crime, unrest, terrorism, and kidnapping among the reasons for its Level 4 warning.
The advisory was last updated on 17 September 2026. The countries span West and Central Africa, the Sahel, North Africa, and the Horn of Africa. Libya, meanwhile, carries a Level 4 warning because of crime, terrorism, health concerns, unrest, kidnapping, and landmines, with the US government noting that there is currently no US embassy in the country and that it cannot provide emergency services to American citizens there.
The US travel advisory system has four levels: Level 1 – Exercise normal precautions, Level 2 – Exercise increased caution, Level 3 – Reconsider travel, and Level 4 – Do not travel. The classification does not mean that every part of a country necessarily faces the same level of risk. Rather, it reflects the US government's assessment of the overall conditions and risks relevant to American travellers.
For example, the US warning for Niger says the government cannot provide routine or emergency services to American citizens outside Niamey because of security risks. In Somalia, the US Embassy is currently unable to provide consular services, with the US Embassy in Nairobi handling consular needs for Americans in Somalia. The State Department cites terrorism, kidnapping, crime, unrest, health risks, and other threats.
American citizens, including those with dual nationality, are therefore encouraged to check the latest country-specific advisory before making travel arrangements. The warnings are specifically issued for US citizens and nationals, so travellers of other nationalities should also consult the travel advice issued by their own governments before visiting any of the countries listed. Sudan, for instance, remains at Level 4 because of unrest, crime, kidnapping, terrorism, landmines, and health threats.
Key points
- The US State Department has placed 11 African countries under its highest Level 4: “Do Not Travel” advisory due to severe risks including terrorism, kidnapping, and crime.
- The countries under the Level 4 advisory are Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Libya, Mali, Niger, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda.
- The advisory was last updated on 17 September 2026.
