Mali and Burkina Faso have announced reciprocal travel bans on US citizens in response to a similar measure imposed by the United States earlier this month.
The foreign ministries of both countries said the decision was taken in the spirit of reciprocity, following President Donald Trump’s December 16 announcement that added them, along with five other countries, to a list subject to a full travel ban. The US cited “persistent and severe deficiencies in screening, vetting, and information-sharing” as reasons for the measure.
Mali criticised Washington’s action, saying it was implemented without prior consultation and that the justification did not reflect realities on the ground.
The West African nations are not the first to respond to US travel restrictions; Niger halted visa issuance to Americans on December 25, and Chad did the same in June following previous restrictions.
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