Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI:MALI and Burkina Faso said on December 30 that they would ban U.S. citizens from entering their countries in retaliation for U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to ban Malian and Burkinabe citizens from entering the United States.
The announcements, made in separate statements by the foreign ministers of the two West African countries, marked the latest twist in the frosty relationship between West African military governments and the U.S. On December 16 , Trump expanded earlier travel restrictions to 20 more countries, including Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, which are run by juntas and have formed a breakaway association from the regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States.
“In accordance with the principle of reciprocity, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation informs the national and international community that, with immediate effect, the Government of the Republic of Mali will apply the same conditions and requirements to US nationals as those imposed on Malian citizens,” the Malian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
A statement signed by Burkina Faso’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré cited similar reasons for the ban on American nationals entering Burkina Faso. The White House noted persistent attacks by armed groups as one of the reasons for the travel ban.
Mali and Burkina Faso have struggled to contain armed groups that have spread rapidly in both countries. The juntas vowed to fight the armed groups after deposing civilian governments over the insecurity that has roiled much of the region. On December 25 neighbouring Niger announced it would stop issuing visas to U.S. citizens, the country’s state media agency reported, citing a Nigerien diplomatic source.
In June, Chad announced it was suspending visa issuance to U.S. citizens after it was included on an earlier list of 12 countries affected by a travel ban.