The U.S. Embassy in Bamako issued a security alert on October 28 advising all U.S. citizens to depart Mali immediately using commercial flights, citing a jihadist-imposed fuel blockade, nationwide school closures and rising risk of terrorist attacks along highways. The State Department simultaneously authorized the departure of non-emergency staff and dependents and maintained its Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory.
Militant group JNIM has attacked fuel convoys since early September, causing acute shortages that have crippled transport and public services, including the suspension of classes for two weeks. Although Bamako’s airport remains open, land routes to neighboring countries are deemed unsafe.
Corporations with regional operations face immediate mobility challenges: expatriate evacuations must be routed through limited commercial seats, and intra-country travel for logistics staff may be impossible without fuel. Companies should activate crisis-management teams, confirm safe-haven options in Dakar or Abidjan, and ensure local payroll continuity for national staff who remain.
The alert also warns that the embassy cannot assist Americans outside the capital—a reminder to multinationals of the limits of consular protection in high-risk zones. Insurance providers may exclude coverage once a formal “Leave Now” notice is issued, so mobility managers should review policy language.
With no sign that Mali’s transitional military government can secure supply lines, experts predict prolonged instability that will complicate future project-based assignments in the Sahel.
Militant group JNIM has attacked fuel convoys since early September, causing acute shortages that have crippled transport and public services, including the suspension of classes for two weeks. Although Bamako’s airport remains open, land routes to neighboring countries are deemed unsafe.
Corporations with regional operations face immediate mobility challenges: expatriate evacuations must be routed through limited commercial seats, and intra-country travel for logistics staff may be impossible without fuel. Companies should activate crisis-management teams, confirm safe-haven options in Dakar or Abidjan, and ensure local payroll continuity for national staff who remain.
The alert also warns that the embassy cannot assist Americans outside the capital—a reminder to multinationals of the limits of consular protection in high-risk zones. Insurance providers may exclude coverage once a formal “Leave Now” notice is issued, so mobility managers should review policy language.
With no sign that Mali’s transitional military government can secure supply lines, experts predict prolonged instability that will complicate future project-based assignments in the Sahel.
