This decision is justified by the closure of French consular services in these three Sahel countries, the consequence of a tense situation with their new military authorities.
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Visas for students from Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso who were to continue their studies in France are suspended, due to the closure of French consular services in these countries. “Campus France and visa services can no longer operate normally. Artists, students and researchers already in France continue their activities and studies normally, and are welcome”announced the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday September 16.
Campus France, which is the French agency for the promotion abroad of French higher education and the reception of foreign students in France, specifies that the scholarships granted to students from these three countries already on French territory “remain active”.
A decision due to the “security context”
France currently has some 3,000 Malian, 2,500 Burkinabé and 1,200 Nigerien students in its higher education establishments. “The Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs has never given instructions to suspend cooperation with Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, or their nationals. It is France’s cooperation in these three countries which is suspended, taking into account the security and political context”declared the ministry to AFP.
On Friday, the Ministry of Research and Higher Education announced that it was “forced to suspend our visa services and civil cooperation for security reasons.” However, “there is no question of stopping existing cooperation with universities or other scientific establishments.”