France, June 5 -- The African Union has expressed deep concern over President Donald Trump's sweeping travel ban on citizens from seven African countries, warning that the restrictions will damage decades of carefully nurtured diplomatic and commercial ties between the United States and the continent.

Seven of the 12 countries targeted by Trump's travel ban, announced on Wednesday,are on the African continent.

As of Monday, 9 June, citizens of Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Somalia and Sudan will no longer be allowed entry to the US.

Burundi, Sierra Leone and Togo are among seven further nations subjected to partial restrictions.

In a statement released on Thursday, the African Union (AU) said it "rema...