Burkina Faso severs diplomatic ties with France amid deepening crisis

The ruling military junta in Burkina Faso has announced the termination of its diplomatic relations with France, alleging that Paris has engaged in actions contrary to Burkinabè national interests.

Relations between Ouagadougou and its former colonial power have significantly deteriorated since Captain Ibrahim Traoré seized power in a 2022 coup d’état. Since then, his government has adopted a political stance marked by a pivot towards new international partners and an overt critique of Western influence in the region.

In a televised address on Friday, Burkina Faso’s Minister of Communication, Pingdwendé Gilbert Ouédraogo, accused France of “incessant activism” against the nation and denounced what he described as “neocolonial ambitions.”

The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the decision as “hostile and unfounded,” asserting that it reflected a “worrying drift” in the Burkinabè authorities’ conduct.

France has also urged its citizens residing in Burkina Faso to exercise “increased vigilance.”

Burkina Faso, much like its neighbor Mali, has been grappling with a jihadist insurgency for over a decade. For several years, French forces participated in counter-terrorism operations in the region before their eventual withdrawal from the country.

Following his ascension to power, Captain Traoré demanded the departure of French soldiers stationed in Burkina Faso, accusing Paris of pursuing a “hidden agenda.” Ouagadougou has since forged closer ties with countries such as Russia and China.

In its official communiqué announcing the diplomatic rupture, the Burkinabè government stated that the conditions for “mutual respect” between the two nations were no longer met. It specifically accused France of supporting “subversive networks” and attempting to marginalize Burkina Faso on the international stage.

However, the authorities clarified that this decision pertains solely to the “institutional framework of relations” and does not undermine the “historical, human, cultural, and social ties” between the people of Burkina Faso and France.

The junta had initially pledged a return to constitutional order in 2024, but this deadline was not honored. In January 2025, the authorities also announced the dissolution of all political parties.

That same year, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, all led by military regimes, formally withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to establish the Alliance of Sahel States.

France has not had an ambassador in Burkina Faso since January 2023. In 2024, Ouagadougou expelled three French diplomats, accusing them of “subversive activities,” allegations that Paris vehemently denied.