Burkina Faso cuts diplomatic ties with France

OUAGADOUGOU — Burkina Faso’s military government has severed diplomatic relations with France, accusing its former colonial ruler of pursuing “neo-colonial ambitions” and supporting subversive networks and terrorist groups.In a statement issued Friday, the ruling junta said the decision takes immediate effect, alleging that France had engaged in “blatant neo-colonial ambitions and active support for subversive networks and terrorists.” The government did not provide evidence to support the claims.Burkina Faso’s Communications Minister Pingdwende Gilbert Ouedraogo said the conditions necessary to maintain diplomatic relations based on mutual respect, trust, non-interference, and national sovereignty “are no longer met.”France rejected the accusations, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Pascal Confavreux describing the move as a “hostile and unfounded decision” that reflects what he called the “worrying drift” of Burkina Faso’s authorities.Confavreux said France was reviewing reciprocal measures and was monitoring the safety of French diplomatic personnel and citizens in Burkina Faso, urging them to exercise heightened vigilance.It was not immediately clear what practical consequences the diplomatic rupture would have, including the status of the French Embassy in Ouagadougou.Relations between the two countries have steadily deteriorated since Burkina Faso’s military seized power in a 2022 coup. The junta subsequently ended military cooperation with France and ordered the withdrawal of French troops that had been deployed to help combat extremist groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group.The government has also repeatedly targeted French diplomats. In 2023, it requested the recall of France’s ambassador and declared the United Nations resident and humanitarian coordinator persona non grata. In 2024, it expelled three French diplomats over alleged subversive activities.Burkina Faso remains one of the countries hardest hit by extremist violence in the Sahel, where armed groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State continue to carry out attacks. Despite the junta’s pledge to improve security following the coup, analysts say the violence has intensified.A recent Human Rights Watch report alleged that Burkina Faso’s security forces were responsible for at least 1,200 of the 1,837 civilian deaths documented between January 2023 and August 2025, exceeding the number of civilians allegedly killed by extremist groups during the same period.