Mali and Burkina Faso Ban U.S. Citizens in Response to Travel Restrictions

By Amanuel Janberu
Published on 12/31/25

Mali and Burkina Faso announced on Tuesday that they would bar U.S. citizens from entering their countries, following President Donald Trump’s decision to extend travel restrictions to citizens of both nations.

The measures, outlined in separate statements by the foreign ministers of Mali and Burkina Faso, reflect growing tensions between the military-led governments of West Africa and Washington.

On December 16, Trump expanded previous travel restrictions to include 20 additional countries, among them Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—nations governed by military juntas and associated outside the Economic Community of West African States.

“In line with the principle of reciprocity, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation informs both the national and international community that, effective immediately, the Government of the Republic of Mali will impose the same conditions and requirements on U.S. nationals as those enforced on Malian citizens,” said Mali’s foreign ministry.

Burkina Faso’s foreign minister, Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, issued a similar statement, citing the same rationale for barring American nationals from entering Burkina Faso.