Mali and Burkina Faso Bar US Citizens as Trump Visa Ban Triggers African Response

Four African nations have taken reciprocal action in reaction to the Trump administration’s visa restrictions, including Mali and Burkina Faso.

The two West African countries’ foreign ministries reportedly made the announcements in separate statements.

On June 6, 2025, Chad halted issuing visas to nationals of the United States, sparking a reaction. Mahamat Deby, the president of Chad, emphasized on social media that the action was taken “in accordance with the principles of reciprocity” and that it was motivated by “national pride and dignity.”

Niger followed suit on December 25, 2025, stopping the issuance of visas indefinitely and prohibiting admission by US citizens. “[Niger] has completely and indefinitely suspended the issuance of all visas to citizens of the United States of America and has prohibited the entry of US nationals into the territory of Niger,” an official government statement stated.

Burkina Faso’s decision to implement a reciprocal ban was confirmed on Tuesday by Karamoko Traore, the country’s foreign minister.

“The Government of Burkina Faso is applying equivalent visa measures on United States nationals in response to the recent actions taken by the United States restricting entry for Burkinabe citizens,” Traore said.

“In accordance with the principle of reciprocity and with immediate effect, the Government of the Republic of Mali will apply the same conditions and requirements to American nationals as those imposed by the American authorities on Malian citizens entering the United States of America,” the Mali government declared in an official statement, confirming the measure.

Proclamation 10998, which US President Donald Trump issued on June 4, 2025, and went into effect on June 9, 2025, is the source of the series of reciprocal measures. Entry for both immigrants and non-immigrants from twelve countries, including Chad, was suspended by the order.

19 countries were included in the travel ban by December 16, 2025. With effect from January 1, 2026, eight more nations—Burkina Faso, Laos, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and Syria—were added to the complete list of restrictions.

Additionally, 20 other nations, including Nigeria, were subject to a partial prohibition on immigration and travel to the United States under the proclamation. Angola, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe are some of these countries.

The US proclamation permitted exceptions for a number of groups, including diplomats, students, athletes, lawful permanent residents, and anyone who were already in the country with valid visas, notwithstanding the broad extent of the prohibitions.

Affected nations, especially those in West and Central Africa, are responding more diplomatically to the measures, which are a part of Trump’s attempts to tighten US immigration requirements.

Former French colonies and landlocked countries Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Niger have united to oppose what they perceive to be discriminatory and unwarranted travel restrictions by the United States.