Mali and Burkina Faso Impose Travel Ban on USA

By: Isaac Kwabena Boadu Date: 2nd January, 2026

Mali and Burkina Faso have announced reciprocal travel bans on US citizens, citing the principle of reciprocity, in response to the US government’s decision to add them to its travel ban list. The move is seen as a retaliatory measure against the Trump administration’s expanded travel ban, which targets citizens from several countries, including Mali and Burkina Faso.

The US travel ban, announced by President Donald Trump on December 16, restricts citizens from Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, South Sudan, Syria, and Palestinian Authority passport holders from entering the country. The ban is set to take effect on January 1, 2026, and is intended to “protect the security” of the United States.

Mali’s foreign ministry stated that the country would apply the same conditions and requirements to US nationals as those imposed on Malian citizens entering the United States. Burkina Faso’s foreign minister, Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, said the decision was based on the “principle of reciprocity.”

AFRICAN VOICES INTERNATIONAL, FREEDOM IN AFRICA