Mali and Burkina Faso announce reciprocal travel ban on US

Mali and Burkina Faso have said they are imposing a travel ban on U.S. citizens in response to an equivalent measure announced by the Trump administration earlier this month.



In separate statements issued by their foreign ministries late on Tuesday, the two West African countries said they were acting in the name of "reciprocity" after the White House announced on December 16 that U.S. President Donald Trump was adding them and five other countries to a list of those subject to a full travel ban.



The White House said the expanded ban, set to take effect on January 1, applied to "countries with demonstrated, persistent, and severe deficiencies in screening, vetting, and information-sharing to protect the Nation from national security and public safety threats".



Mali said on Tuesday that Washington's decision to add it to the travel ban list had been taken without prior consultation and that the stated rationale was not justified by "actual developments on the ground".