Mali and Burkina Faso have imposed a reciprocal travel ban on visitors from the United States in response to President Donald Trump’s travel restrictions on their nationals to the U.S.
Trump imposed full travel restrictions and entry limitations on Mali and Burkina Faso in mid-December, including the two African countries as part of five new additions to his travel ban list. In June, Trump instated an initial travel ban on 12 countries as part of an effort to strengthen national security.
Late Tuesday evening, officials from both Mali and Burkina Faso announced they would be imposing reciprocal travel restrictions following Trump’s mid-December proclamation. Mali’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation released a statement saying it “regrets that such an important decision was taken without any prior consultation,” referring to the Trump administration’s Dec. 16 proclamation.
“In accordance with the principle of reciprocity, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation informs the national and international public opinion that, with immediate effect, the Government of the Republic of Mali will apply the same conditions and requirements to US nationals as those imposed on Malian citizens,” the Malian Ministry said in a statement.
Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, Burkina Faso’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, told Bloomberg that his country’s travel ban on U.S. nationals was also based on the “principle of reciprocity.”
Burkina Faso and Mali are each currently under military junta rule after military leaders launched coups in the respective nations to unseat elected leaders.
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After taking power following his coups of 2020 and 2021, Gen. Assimi Goïta rules in Mali and was recently granted a five-year extension of his presidency. Captain Ibrahim Traoré took over as ruler of Burkina Faso following his military coup in 2022, and his presidency was extended by five years in 2024.
Each of the countries is also part of the regional Alliance of Sahel States with Niger to combat Islamic extremism in the region and gain greater national sovereignty across the states, following their exit from the Economic Community of West African States. The region and leadership face threats from jihadists within their borders.