The French Foreign Ministry's Regional Directorate for Cultural Affairs (DRAC) has sent a letter to the cultural centers funded by it ordering them to immediately suspend all projects involving Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso or their citizens, French newspaper Le Monde reported on Thursday.
"In line with the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs' instruction, all cooperation must be suspended with the following countries: Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, until further notice," the letter, seen by the newspaper, read.
The recipients reportedly included national theaters and drama and choreography centers.
"All your projects with the organizations or nationals of these three countries must be suspended without delay and exception. All financial assistance must also be suspended, including through French associations. No invitations must be sent to the nationals of these countries. Starting today, France no longer issues visas to the nationals of these three countries, without exceptions, until further notice," the letter read.
At the same time, the DRAC wrote in the letter, cited in the report, that France had no intention to "prohibit all cultural cooperation," but the "worsening security situation" following coups in the three countries made it "impossible for our services to continue processing visa applications."
According to the report, the visa halt will also affect students from Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.
Pro-French elected governments were overthrown by the military in the three former French colonies. The latest coup took place in Niger, following which the military denounced prior agreements with Paris and demanded the withdrawal of French diplomats and troops. While the regional economic bloc ECOWAS threatened Niger with an invasion, Mali and Burkina Faso sided with the Nigerien putschists and vowed to side with them in the event of invasion.