France and Mali have suspended the issuance of visas to nationals of the other country by their respective consular services in Bamako and Paris, in a context of strong bilateral and regional tensions, we learned Thursday from diplomatic sources. France was the first to suspend the issuance of these visas at the start of the week after having placed all of Mali, including Bamako, in the red zone, “formally not recommended” for travelers, we learned from a diplomatic source.
The Malian capital was previously in the orange zone, “not recommended except for imperative reasons”. The rest of this vast country was in a red zone due to the jihadist spread, the risk of kidnapping and general insecurity.
Mali in the red zone, a “surprise” for the Malian Minister of Foreign Affairs
The Malian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it learned “with surprise” the classification of all of Mali in the red zone, late Wednesday on social networks. He in turn decided to suspend the issuance of visas by the competent Malian services in Paris, “in application of reciprocity”. “In the current context of strong regional tensions, any travel to Mali is formally discouraged. French nationals in Mali are called upon to be extremely vigilant”, indicates the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the internet in an update of its advice by country dated August 7.
“This change entails a reorganization of the services of the French Embassy in Bamako, which will therefore no longer be able to issue visas until further notice”, indicates on its website Capago, service provider processing visa applications upstream before the examination of files by the French services. The French consular services in Bamako processed 22,000 visa applications in 2022, and gave 12,000 positive responses, according to a diplomatic source. About 7,000 French people also live in Mali, including 5,500 Franco-Malians.
Relations deteriorated since taking power in 2020
Relations between France, the former colonial power engaged militarily alongside the Malian army against the jihadists since 2013, and Mali have deteriorated sharply since colonels took power by force in Bamako in August 2020. The junta pushed French forces out in 2022 and turned politically and militarily towards Russia. She expelled the French ambassador.
Since then, France has seen other allied governments in the Sahel overthrown by the military, in Burkina Faso in 2022 and in Niger at the end of July. All of these three neighboring countries, all facing jihadist expansion and forming a huge geographical area, are now in the red zone for French diplomacy. France has also suspended the issuance of visas by its services in Burkina, indicates the Capago site.