Burkina Faso’s military-led administration has cut diplomatic relations with France, ending formal ties with its former colonial power, which had previously served as a major security ally before relations deteriorated.
In a statement released on Friday, the military government announced that diplomatic relations with France had been terminated with immediate effect. The authorities accused France of pursuing what they described as “open neo-colonial objectives” and backing subversive groups and terrorist elements, although no evidence was presented to support the allegations.
Responding to the development, a spokesperson for France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Pascal Confavreux, said the French government regretted what he described as a “hostile and unfounded decision,” adding that the move reflects what he called a concerning direction taken by the authorities in Burkina Faso.
Confavreux said France is currently considering “appropriate reciprocal steps” in response to the decision. He also noted that French authorities are closely monitoring the security of government personnel and French nationals living in Burkina Faso and advised them to remain especially cautious.
The West African nation of about 23 million people has endured years of conflict driven by armed extremist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and Islamic State, alongside military operations that have repeatedly faced allegations of extrajudicial killings. The broader Sahel region has become the world’s most lethal hotspot for extremist violence.
It remains uncertain what consequences will follow the suspension of diplomatic ties or what impact the decision could have on the operations of Embassy of France in Burkina Faso.
“The conditions essential for fostering relations based on mutual respect, reciprocal trust, and respect for the principle of non-interference in internal affairs and national sovereignty are no longer met,” Burkina Faso’s Communications Minister Pingdwende Gilbert Ouedraogo said in a statement.
