Bamako, Mali — Mali and Burkina Faso announced late Tuesday that they would bar American citizens from entering their countries in response to US President Donald Trump’s decision to bar citizens of Mali and Burkina Faso from entering the United States.
The announcements, made in separate statements by the foreign ministers of the two West African countries, represent the latest development in the chilly relationship between the West African military governments and the United States.
On December 16, Trump Previous travel restrictions were expanded to include 20 other countriesincluding Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, are run by military juntas and have formed a breakaway association from the regional bloc, the 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 to US citizens the same conditions and requirements imposed on Malian citizens,” the Malian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
Another statement signed by Burkina Faso Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré cited similar reasons for banning US citizens from entering Burkina Faso.
The White House cited ongoing attacks by armed groups as one of the reasons for the travel ban. Mali and Burkina Faso are struggling to contain armed groups that have spread rapidly in both countries. The military junta pledged to fight armed groups after the overthrow of civilian governments due to the insecurity that swept much of the region.