Mali, Burkina Faso impose reciprocal travel ban on US citizens

 

Mali and Burkina Faso have announced reciprocal travel restrictions on United States nationals.

The announcement comes after US President Donald Trump imposed a permanent visa ban on nationals of both countries.

In separate statements issued on Tuesday, the two West African countries said the move was in line with the principle of reciprocity, after the US expanded its travel restrictions to include Mali and Burkina Faso.

Mali’s ministry of foreign affairs and international cooperation expressed regret that the decision was taken without prior consultation.

The ministry noted that the security justification cited by US “contradicts the real developments on the ground” and suggested that the motivation for the action lies elsewhere.

“In application of the principle of reciprocity, the government of the Republic of Mali will apply, with immediate effect, to American nationals the same conditions and requirements as those imposed on Malian citizens,” the statement reads.

Similarly, Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, Burkina Faso’s minister of foreign affairs, said his country would apply equivalent visa measures to US nationals.

“The government of Burkina Faso has taken note of the decision announced on December 16, 2025, by the authorities of the United States of America regarding the strengthening of entry restrictions on their territory,” Traoré said.

He described the move by the US as inconsistent with the principles of sovereign equality and mutual respect.

The US decision is part of a broader immigration policy announced by the White House under Trump, which permanently restricts or suspends visa issuance and entry for nationals of several countries.

According to the White House, the measures are in the interest of US national security, while raising concerns over identity-management systems, information-sharing gaps, and visa overstay rates in affected countries.

The expanded policy, which takes effect from January 1, 2026, places Mali and Burkina Faso among more than 20 countries facing full or partial entry bans into the United States.

Despite the diplomatic fallout, both countries say they remain open to international cooperation — but only on the basis of mutual respect and reciprocity.

The two West African countries are currently under military-led governments, following coups.

The two Sahelian countries have since faced strained relations with Western partners, including the US and France, over democratic governance, security cooperation and foreign policy alignment, prompting them to consolidate their own regional bloc.