Mali has imposed a hefty visa bond of up to $10 000 on American visitors, mirroring a similar measure introduced by the Trump administration against Malians seeking entry to the United States (US).

The Malian foreign ministry said the move was a reciprocal response to what it described as a: “unilateral decision” by Washington to tighten visa requirements. The US embassy in Bamako said its new bond system reflected America’s: “commitment to protecting its borders and safeguarding national security.”

The tit-for-tat measures come at a delicate moment in US–Mali relations. In July, senior US officials travelled to Bamako to discuss counterterrorism co-operation and possible American investment in Mali’s gold and lithium sectors.

Relations between the two countries have been tense since the 2021 coup that brought Colonel Assimi Goïta to power. Goïta expelled French troops and turned to Russia for security support, first through the Wagner Group and now via Moscow’s Africa Corps.

Whilst it is unlikely that the Trump administration convened an emergency cabinet meeting to discuss the Malian retaliation the mood towards Western democracies has shifted in the region as Russia has deepened its military and economic footprint.