Mali, Burkina Faso bar US citizens after Trump’s travel ban on West Africans

Mali and Burkina Faso on Tuesday announced that they would bar US citizens from entering their countries, retaliating against US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose travel restrictions on citizens of the two West African nations.

The announcements were made in separate statements by the foreign ministers of Mali and Burkina Faso, marking the latest escalation in strained relations between Washington and military-led governments in West Africa.

On 16 December, Trump expanded existing US travel restrictions to 20 additional countries, including Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. All three are governed by juntas and are part of a breakaway alliance that has withdrawn from the ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States).

“In accordance with the principle of reciprocity, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation informs the national and international community 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,” Mali’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

Burkina Faso’s foreign minister, Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, issued a similar statement, citing the same principle of reciprocity in announcing restrictions on American nationals entering his country.

The White House has cited persistent attacks by armed groups as one of the reasons for expanding the travel ban. US officials said the restrictions were aimed at preventing the entry of foreign nationals about whom the United States lacks sufficient information to assess potential security risks.

In announcing the expanded ban earlier this month, the Trump administration said the measures were “necessary to prevent the entry of foreign nationals about whom the United States lacks sufficient information to assess the risks they pose”, adding that it was the president’s duty to ensure that those entering the country do not threaten public safety.

The latest restrictions form part of a broader immigration crackdown following the fatal shooting of two US National Guard members in Washington DC on 26 November, which the administration has cited while justifying tighter border and travel controls.

• Trump’s ban covers Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, all ruled by military juntas

• Mali and Burkina Faso say US citizens will now face identical entry conditions

• Washington cites security risks and lack of reliable information on travellers

Both Mali and Burkina Faso have struggled to contain armed groups that have expanded rapidly across the Sahel region in recent years. The military governments in the two countries seized power after overthrowing civilian administrations, vowing to restore security amid widespread violence and instability.

The reciprocal bans underscore the deepening diplomatic rift between the US and West Africa’s junta-led states, which have increasingly distanced themselves from Western partners while seeking new alliances.