Several African countries, led by Mali and Burkina Faso, have announced visa bans on United States citizens in what officials describe as retaliatory or “tit-for-tat” measures against Washington’s latest round of travel restrictions.
The moves come after the US administration under President Donald Trump expanded full or partial visa bans on citizens of 39 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America, citing national security concerns. The new restrictions take effect Thursday.
Mali and Burkina Faso, both military-led West African nations, said their decisions were based on the principle of reciprocity after their citizens were barred from entering the US.
“In accordance with the principle of reciprocity, 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 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said in a statement, adding that the measure takes effect immediately.
Burkina Faso’s Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean-Marie Traore issued a similar announcement, saying his country would no longer issue visas to US citizens under the same rule of reciprocity.
The two countries are among several African states now pushing back against Washington’s visa policy. Niger, another military-led Sahel nation, banned entry for US citizens on Friday, explicitly linking the move to the US decision to restrict visas for Nigeriens.
Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have faced years of violence linked to armed groups aligned with al-Qaeda and ISIL, a conflict that has displaced millions across the region. The three countries formed the Alliance of Sahel States in July 2024 to coordinate security and economic cooperation.
Chad had earlier taken a similar step, halting the issuance of visas to US citizens on June 6, with an exception for American officials. Only US nationals who received visas before June 9 are currently allowed entry. Chad was included in an initial list of 12 countries whose citizens were subjected to a full US visa ban starting June 9.
Under the latest US directive issued on December 16, full visa bans were expanded to citizens of five additional countries: Laos, Niger, Sierra Leone, South Sudan and Syria. The order also bars holders of travel documents issued by the Palestinian Authority from entering the US.
The White House said the countries were assessed on factors including screening and vetting systems, information-sharing practices, visa overstay rates and cooperation in accepting deported nationals. The order also cited the presence of “significant terrorist activity” as an additional criterion.
According to the US-based Council on Foreign Relations, citizens of 19 countries now face full entry bans, including Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Chad, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Mali, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Another 20 countries are subject to partial restrictions, including Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.
As reciprocal bans widen, analysts say the dispute reflects growing diplomatic friction between Washington and several African governments, particularly military-led administrations that have increasingly challenged Western pressure on governance and security policies.