BAMAKO – African country Mali has indefinitely suspended the issuance of visas to French nationals, a development confirmed by its Foreign Ministry.
The fresh ban comes as both countries engage in a standoff with Mali responding to the French Foreign Ministry in reciprocity.
In a statement, Mali said the move was reciprocal after it “learned, with surprise” through the press that the French Foreign Ministry classified Mali in the “red zone” on the grounds of “strong regional tensions.”
“In application of reciprocity, the ministry suspends, until further notice, the issuance of visas to French nationals by the diplomatic and consular services of Mali in France,” an official statement by Mali said.
On the other hand, France also reportedly suspended the issuance of visas and closed the visa center at its embassy in Mali’s capital, Bamako.
Earlier, the French foreign ministry issued a travel guidance update and said in the current context of strong regional tensions, all travel to Mali is ‘strongly not advised and French citizens in Mali are urged to show the greatest vigilance.
The above referred “strong regional tensions” originate from Niger, where the military ousted democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26.
Nonetheless, relations between France and Mali have been rough since soldiers in Mali assumed power in the 2020 and 2021 military coups and ousted elected president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. France withdrew its forces last year after the military regime decided to bring in mercenaries from Russia’s Wagner group.
Meanwhile, France began to pull out its force called ‘Barkhane’, under a phased withdrawal that ended last year.
Mali is the eighth-largest country in Africa and is bordered on the north by Algeria, on the east by Niger, on the south by Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire, and on the west by Guinea and Senegal. In the late 19th century, France seized control of Mali, making it a part of French Sudan.
