Mali has announced it will require U.S. citizens to post a bond of up to $10,000 when applying for visas, mirroring a recent American policy targeting Malian travellers.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry said Sunday the move follows Washington’s decision last week to impose similar conditions on Malian nationals, citing high visa overstay rates and security concerns. The U.S. measure takes effect on October 23.
“In accordance with the principle of reciprocity, Mali has decided to introduce an identical visa program,” the ministry said, adding that American applicants will face the same fees and requirements as Malians.
The policy marks the latest strain in relations between Bamako and Western partners since Mali’s 2021 military coup. The junta has distanced itself from France — once its key counterterrorism ally — and deepened ties with Russia in a bid to bolster security.
Despite this shift, violence by extremist groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State has continued to spread across the Sahel, undermining the junta’s promises of stability.
In recent months, militants have intensified attacks across rural regions, cutting off supply routes and testing the government’s control. Analysts say these disruptions have worsened humanitarian conditions and eroded public confidence.
Earlier in September, Jama’at Nusr.at al-Islam wal-Muslimin, an al-Qaida affiliate, announced a ban on fuel imports from neighbouring countries — a move experts warn could cripple Mali’s fragile economy.
As tensions mount both domestically and abroad, Mali’s tit-for-tat visa decision underscores its growing defiance of Western pressure and its determination to assert sovereignty on the international stage.