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Mali’s government fired a diplomatic shot across the bow on Saturday, announcing that US citizens will need to post refundable bonds of up to $10,000 for business or tourist visas—a direct mirror to a new US policy targeting Malian travelers. The move, effective immediately, requires $5,000 for tourists and $10,000 for business visitors, according to Mali’s Foreign Ministry.
The announcement comes just days after the US State Department added Mali to its visa bond pilot program, set to launch October 23, which demands similar deposits from Malian nationals to curb overstay risks. Other African nations like Mauritania, Sao Tome and Principe, and Tanzania face the same US requirements, part of a broader push under the Trump administration to tighten entry from select countries. Malian officials slammed the US decision as a “unilateral breach” of a 2005 bilateral visa agreement, insisting on reciprocity to defend national sovereignty.
Tensions between Bamako and Washington have simmered since Mali’s 2021 military coup, which ousted a pro-Western government and steered the country toward closer ties with Russia, including Wagner Group mercenaries for counterterrorism. Disputes over migration, security aid, and access to Mali’s gold and uranium resources have only deepened the rift, with the US suspending some assistance last year.
On social media, the backlash lit up West African feeds. “Mali applies the principle of reciprocity… and that is the first time it becomes newsworthy,” one user noted, accusing Western media of fixating on Sahel states’ defiance. Others decried a “visa apartheid,” pointing to the 40 wealthy nations in the US Visa Waiver Program while African applicants face escalating barriers. Nigeria’s foreign minister warned of fallout on trade and student exchanges, as regional leaders from Chad to the African Union decry the policies as discriminatory.
Travel experts predict a chill on US-Mali exchanges, already low with just 1,200 American visitors annually. The bonds are refundable upon departure, but the upfront cost could deter tourists eyeing Mali’s ancient Timbuktu mosques or Dogon cliff villages.
As this visa skirmish escalates, it underscores Africa’s pushback against perceived Western overreach.
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