Mali has announced that U.S. citizens traveling to the country will now be required to pay a bond of up to $10,000 for business and tourist visas.
The move comes in direct response to a similar policy the Trump administration had implemented for Malian nationals, according to BBC News.
The U.S. embassy in Mali explained on Friday that the fee was part of Washington’s effort to “protect America’s borders and safeguard US national security.”
In response, Mali’s foreign ministry said on Sunday that the bond was introduced unilaterally and that the country had decided to “establish an identical visa programme” for U.S. visitors.
This shift in visa policy occurs even as both nations have taken steps to strengthen diplomatic ties.
In July, U.S. officials visited Mali to discuss counterterrorism cooperation and explore economic partnerships, including potential access to Mali’s gold and lithium reserves.
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Relations between the two countries worsened following Mali’s 2021 coup, which brought Gen. Assimi Goïta to power.
In a bid to counter a growing jihadist insurgency, Goïta realigned Mali toward Russia, expelling French troops and initially deploying Russian Wagner Group mercenaries, who have since been replaced by Africa Corps.
Recently, Burkina Faso’s military government refused to accept deportees from the U.S after Washington suspended visa issuance in the country.
Mali’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, questioned whether the U.S. embassy’s decision amounted to “blackmail,” noting that he had rejected a U.S. proposal to relocate migrants from third countries.
The Trump administration has increasingly looked to African nations as destinations for deported migrants as part of its broader immigration enforcement efforts.
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Image Credit: Globe Flags
