Mali: Mali has announced that US nationals seeking business or tourist visas will now be required to post a bond of up to $10,000 (£7,500), mirroring a similar measure recently introduced by the Trump administration against Malian citizens.
The US Embassy in Bamako said the bond aims to strengthen Washington’s commitment to protecting America’s borders and safeguarding US national security. Mali’s Foreign Ministry responded, stating that the US had imposed the measure unilaterally, prompting Bamako to introduce an identical visa programme for American visitors.
The visa policy shift comes at a sensitive time, as both nations have been working to improve diplomatic relations. In July, US officials visited Mali to discuss counterterrorism cooperation and economic partnerships, including potential access to Mali’s gold and lithium reserves.
However, relations have been strained since the 2021 coup that brought Gen Assimi Goïta to power. Goïta has since distanced Mali from Western allies, aligning more closely with Russia in efforts to combat jihadist insurgencies. French troops were expelled, and Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group, now replaced by the Africa Corps, were brought in to bolster security operations.
The latest visa dispute also follows tensions between Washington and other West African nations. Burkina Faso’s military government refused to accept deportees from the US after Washington suspended visa issuance in the country. Burkina Faso’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, questioned whether the embassy’s actions amounted to blackmail, claiming he had rejected a US request to host migrants from third countries.
The Trump administration has intensified its immigration crackdown, seeking agreements with African nations to accept deported migrants, a move that has sparked diplomatic friction across the region.
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