Burkina Faso and Mali have announced reciprocal visa bans on United States citizens, just weeks after President Donald Trump added the two nations to his growing list of countries subject to travel bans. In response, leaders from the two nations shared separate letters late Tuesday, announcing plans to apply similar measures to Americans.
“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,” a statement from leaders read on Facebook.Burkina Faso officials echoed the same sentiment. Leaders said they would be applying “equivalent visa measures to citizens of the United States of America,” emphasizing that it “remains committed to mutual respect, the sovereign equality of States, and the principle of reciprocity in its international relations.”
Burkina Faso, Mali Implement Reciprocal Travel Bans Following Trump’s Decision
Both announcements follow Trump’s decision to add seven more countries to a complete travel ban list. Burkina Faso and Mali are following a move from Niger. The West African country also announced that it would “completely and permanently prohibit the issuance of visas to all U.S. citizens.”
Trump said the changes were introduced to meet U.S. “foreign policy, national security, and counterterrorism objectives.” In his guidance, Trump said he imposed a full travel ban on Burkina Faso nationals after the U.S. Department of State found that “terrorist organizations continue to plan and conduct terrorist activities throughout” the West African country. The guidance also alleges that people from Burkina Faso often overstay their visas, and country leaders have historically refused to accept back nationals deported from the U.S.
For Mali, Trump said the State Department found “armed conflict between the Malian government and armed groups is common throughout the country. The president also accuses terrorist organizations of running “freely” in certain areas of Mali.
There are now 19 countries, plus Palestine, on Trump’s full travel ban list. Most of the countries listed in the full travel ban are African and Arab locales.
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