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The U.S. Embassy in Freetown has announced that its public operations and communications will be significantly reduced following the U.S. federal government shutdown on Monday.
The shutdown began after the U.S. Congress failed to pass a funding measure to keep government operations running.
The Embassy released a statement indicating that while some essential services will continue, general communications and certain facilities will be temporarily closed.
The Embassy confirmed that, for the time being, essential scheduled passport and visa transit services will continue at the Freetown Embassy and other U.S. Embassies and Consulates overseas, provided the situation permits.
However, the Embassy stressed that its official X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook account will “not be updated regularly until full operations resume,” with the only exception being the dissemination of urgent safety and security information.
Furthermore, the American Center at the Embassy will be closed to the public due to the lapse in appropriations.
The Embassy directed the public to the U.S. State Department’s official website at travel.state.gov for updated information on services and operating status.
The U.S. government entered its first shutdown in six years after a deadlocked Congress failed to agree on a last-minute funding bill, which required 60 out of 100 senators to pass.
While essential workers—some without pay—will continue their duties, numerous other government employees are now placed on unpaid leave. The political deadlock has led to mutual blaming between Republicans and Democrats for the failure to secure the necessary funding.
