From: 76702.1202@CompuServe.COM (Charlie Smith)
Newsgroups: rec.travel
Subject: *NEW* TRAVEL INFORMATION -- Mali
Date: 6 Jan 1993 14:34:05 -0600
Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway
NNTP-Posting-Host: cs.utexas.edu

STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - Mali
============================================================
Mali - Consular Information Sheet
 December 24, 1992

Embassy Location:  The U.S. Embassy is located at the intersection 
of Rue Rochester NY and Rue Mohammed V, in Bamako, the capital city. 
 The mailing address is B.P. 34, Bamako, Mali.  The telephone number 
is (223) 22-54-70.  The fax number is (223) 22-39-33.

Country Description:  Mali is a newly-democratized developing West 
African nation.  Facilities for tourism are limited.

Entry Requirements:  A passport and visa are required.  For further 
information the traveler can contact the Embassy of the Republic of 
Mali, 2130 R Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008, telephone (202) 
332-2249.

Areas of Instability:  Insurgent attacks have occurred in the 
Timbuktu, Gao and Kidal regions.  Travel to areas north of the Niger 
River in the Mopti region, as well as to the areas near the 
Mauritanian border in the Koulikoro and Segou regions, is risky.  To 
date, there have been no rebel attacks reported by travelers to the 
towns of Mopti, Segou or Koulikoro.

Medical Facilities:  Medical facilities are limited.  Doctors and 
hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health services.  
U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the United 
States.  Supplementary medical insurance with specific overseas 
coverage, including medical evacuation, has proved to be useful. 
Information on health matters can be obtained from the Centers for 
Disease Control's international travelers hotline, telephone (404) 
332-4559.

Information on Crime:  Petty crime, including pickpocketing and 
purse snatching, is not uncommon.  Banditry and vehicle theft occur 
along major travel routes near the principal cities and in smaller 
towns.  Victims have included foreigners.  Useful information on 
safeguarding valuables and protecting personal security while 
traveling abroad is provided in the pamphlet, "A Safe Trip Abroad," 
available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government 
Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402

Drug Penalties:  Penalties for possession, use or trafficking in 
illegal drugs are strictly enforced.  Convicted offenders can expect 
jail sentences and fines.  

Road Conditions:  Only the roads from Bamako to Mopti and a few 
other roads branching to the south are paved.  Travel on other roads 
is difficult, particularly in the rainy season which runs from 
mid-June to mid-September.  On major roads, stops at customs and 
police checkpoints are frequent.

Photography:  Photography is no longer restricted, except for 
military subjects.  Sometimes officials are unaware of the change in 
this regulation that took place some five years ago.  

Currency:  The Malian currency is the CFA franc which is 
exchangeable for French francs at a fixed rate.  Exchange of dollars 
for travelers checks is slow and often involves out-of-date rates.  
Use of credit cards is limited to payment for services at two hotels 
in Bamako.  Cash advances on credit cards are performed by only one 
bank in Mali, the BMCD bank in Bamako.  A "VISA" credit card is the 
only one that is accepted.

Telephone Service:  International calls are expensive, with calls 
to the United States costing approximately $10 a minute.  No collect 
calls can be made from Mali.  Outside the capital, Bamako, it is 
often impossible to obtain an international telephone line.

Tips for Travelers:  The Department of State publication "Tips for 
Travelers to Sub-Saharan Africa" is available from the 
Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, 
Washington, D.C. 20402.  It includes general information on travel 
in the area.

Registration:  U.S. citizens who register at the U.S. Embassy can 
obtain updated information on travel and security in Mali.

 No. 92-153



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