Mali and Burkina Faso have announced that they will bar U.S. citizens from entering their territories, a retaliatory move following new travel restrictions imposed by the United States.
The two West African nations were recently placed under full entry restrictions as part of an expanded travel ban introduced by U.S. President Donald Trump. In response, both governments said they would apply identical measures to American nationals.
Burkina Faso’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, said the decision was guided by the “principle of reciprocity.” Mali’s foreign ministry also defended the move, calling for “mutual respect and sovereign equality” between states. It added that Bamako regretted Washington’s decision, noting that such a significant action was taken without prior consultation.
The announcement comes just days after neighboring Niger imposed a similar travel ban on U.S. citizens.
Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger are all governed by military juntas that seized power through coups. The three countries have since formed a regional alliance and shifted closer to Russia, amid worsening relations with Western nations and other West African states.
Earlier this month, the White House said full entry restrictions would be enforced on travelers from Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, South Sudan, Syria, and holders of Palestinian Authority passports, citing the need to protect U.S. security. The measures are set to take effect on January 1.
The U.S. administration also upgraded Laos and Sierra Leone from partial to full restrictions and imposed partial entry limits on citizens from 15 other countries, including Nigeria, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.
