In the Central African Republic, a Facebook post claiming that the French Embassy in Bangui has officially suspended visas to France is false. This was part of a smear campaign aimed at manipulating public opinion regarding the bilateral relationship between France and the Central African Republic.
The post, originally published by AFRICA INTELLIGENCE and later shared by 236 Magazine on February 27, 2022, received 150 likes, 82 comments, and 12 shares. It quickly went viral on social media and through word of mouth.
The post stated: “Towards a suspension of visas to France?”
According to the post’s author, the French Embassy in Bangui had ordered the suspension of visas to France for Central Africans, allegedly revealed by AFRICA INTELLIGENCE. The post further claimed that this official suspension was a result of escalating tensions between Paris and Bangui, which worsened following the recent incarceration of four French MINUSCA soldiers in Bangui.
No Suspension of Visas to France for Central Africans – Be Cautious
Given the impact of this information, the editorial team of the Central African Fact-checkers Association (AFC) decided to debunk this claim, which aims to tarnish the relationship between France and the Central African Republic.
As part of the fact-checking process, on February 28, 2022, at 10:26 AM, the AFC contacted the French Embassy in Bangui via WhatsApp through the communication officer, who refuted this allegation.
The visa service is not closed and has no intention of closing, according to Julien Musseau, the communication officer at the French Embassy in Bangui.
“We refute this information from Africa Intelligence, as there were people at the consulate this morning. There was just a slight technical (computer) issue last week, but visas were still issued despite that,” said the communication officer to our editorial team.
“I don’t know where Africa Intelligence’s source came from, but clearly, it wasn’t accurate information, and it’s strange on their part,” he added.
There is no connection between the suspension of visas for Central Africans and a technical glitch; the visa issuance service remains operational.
The detention of four French MINUSCA soldiers at Bangui M’poko airport on February 21 escalated tensions between Bangui and Paris. As a result, false information circulated on social media platforms, claiming that visa issuance to Central Africans had been suspended, citing a publication from AFRICA INTELLIGENCE.
However, after verification by the AFC, no conclusive evidence has confirmed this claim.
AFC Editorial Team
Do you find information or images suspicious? Contact our editorial team at 00236 74 02 15 70 / 75 81 61 38 / 75 38 11 73, or email us at [email protected].
