Tillerson says Chad could be removed from visa restrictions

N'DJAMENA, Chad -- U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Monday he is hopeful Chad could be removed from the Trump administration's travel restriction list.

Tillerson was speaking at a joint news conference with Chad's Foreign Minister Mahamat Zene Cherif in the country's capital, N'Djamena. Tillerson said the visa restrictions were necessary because of "all the conflict that exists on Chad's borders."

Tillerson said Chad has taken important, positive steps to strengthen control over its passports and improve information-sharing. He said he believes those steps will "allow us to begin to normalize the travel relationship with Chad."

But he said the decision will have to await a final report the U.S. will prepare later in March.

Zene said Chad's President Idriss Deby "expressed his incomprehension" to Tillerson about the restrictions.