Mali and Burkina Faso Bar U.S. Citizens in Response to Washington’s Visa Restrictions

Mali and Burkina Faso announced they will impose travel bans on American citizens in retaliation for President Trump’s decision to bar their nationals from entering the United States from Jan. 1. Both governments said in separate statements they were acting "in accordance with the principle of reciprocity," and that the restrictions would take effect immediately.

Niger made a similar move last week. The Trump administration first imposed a travel ban on 12 countries in June and this month expanded the list to 19 countries, including Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, bringing the number of affected African states to 12. The expansion followed an arrest of an Afghan national in a shooting over Thanksgiving weekend, after which Mr.

Trump said he would broaden the restrictions. The United States has travel advisories in place for Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, warning citizens not to visit because of threats from terrorism, crime and kidnapping. The United Nations says the Sahel region, especially Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, accounts for more than half of the world’s terrorism-related deaths.

Mali’s foreign ministry rejected the U.S. security rationale and said the decision was made without consulting Bamako. In October Mali had already announced a reciprocal measure, proposing $5,000 to $10,000 bonds for American business and tourist travelers in response to a U.S. program affecting 11 African nations; the United States removed Mali from that list weeks later.

Key Topics

World, United States, Africa, Travel, Diplomacy, Sahel, Security