Burkina Faso, Mali ban entry for US citizens following visa dispute

The governments of Burkina Faso and Mali have announced a ban on entry for US citizens, in response to Washington’s decision to restrict visas for citizens of these West African nations.

According to Burkina Faso’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the move aims “to preserve sovereign equality between states and reaffirm mutual respect as the foundation of diplomatic relations,” statements attributed to Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré and reported by the news portal Lefaso.

In Mali, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, citing a press release shared by ORTV, criticised the US for imposing visa restrictions unilaterally and without consultation. Authorities in Bamako rejected Washington’s justification that the measures were motivated by public safety concerns, suggesting instead that the real reasons may be politically driven.