The decision, disclosed by Mali’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday, comes after Washington imposed a hefty visa bond on several African and Asian nations, claiming it was part of measures to “protect America’s borders and safeguard US national security.”
Mali has announced that American citizens visiting the country will now be required to post a refundable bond of up to $10,000 (₦15 million) before being granted business or tourist visas, a direct retaliation against a similar visa policy introduced by the Trump administration targeting Malian nationals.
The decision, disclosed by Mali’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday, comes after Washington imposed a hefty visa bond on several African and Asian nations, claiming it was part of measures to “protect America’s borders and safeguard US national security.”
In a statement, Mali’s foreign ministry said the US government’s move was “unilateral and unjustified,” prompting Bamako to introduce “an identical visa programme” for US citizens seeking entry into the West African country.
According to the BBC, the new policy, which applies to both business and tourist travellers, marks another escalation in strained diplomatic relations between the two nations despite recent efforts to mend ties.
In July, senior US officials visited Bamako to explore counterterrorism cooperation, economic partnerships, and potential access to Mali’s vast gold and lithium reserves. However, those talks now appear to have suffered a major setback.
Relations between Washington and Bamako have remained frosty since the 2021 military coup that brought Colonel Assimi Goïta to power. The junta leader has since shifted Mali’s alliances away from the West and towards Russia, expelling French troops and welcoming mercenaries from the Wagner Group, now rebranded as Africa Corps under Russia’s Defence Ministry.
The visa standoff also comes just days after Burkina Faso’s military regime refused to accept deportees from the United States. This move led Washington to suspend visa issuance in the country.
Burkinabe Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré accused the US embassy of “blackmail”, claiming the decision followed his rejection of a proposal for Burkina Faso to take in migrants from third countries as part of the Trump administration’s deportation drive.
