Burkina Faso Cuts Diplomatic Ties with Former Ruler France
Photo: REUTERS
Burkina Faso officially severed diplomatic relations with its former colonial ruler, France, on Friday. This move significantly widens the growing divide between the West African nation and Paris.
The military government, led by Captain Ibrahim Traore since a September 2022 coup, announced the decision via national television.
Communications Minister Gilbert Ouedraogo said that a review of relations led to the break, as the administration accused France of consistently undermining Burkinabe interests.
Minister Ouedraogo explained, “The essential conditions for promoting relations based on mutual respect, reciprocal trust, respect for the principle of non-interference in internal affairs and national sovereignty are not in place.”
He alleged that France harbors “neo-colonial ambitions, made evident by its active support for subversive networks and the terrorists who are plunging our country and the Sahel into mourning.”
This diplomatic rupture follows a series of hardline policies from the Traore administration against Western countries and domestic critics. In January, the military government dissolved all political parties and seized their assets, a move that analysts view as a major blow to democracy.
Meanwhile, landlocked Burkina Faso continues to battle armed groups, including the al-Qaeda-linked Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP).
Amidst these security challenges, Human Rights Watch reported last April that the Burkinabe military has committed atrocities against Fulani civilians that may amount to crimes against humanity.
The government clarified that the decision “exclusively concerns diplomatic relations between the two states” and “does not call into question the historical, human, cultural and social ties between the people of Burkina Faso and France.”
The statement also assured that the law will continue to protect French nationals residing in Burkina Faso.
This shift reflects a broader trend across the Sahel, where former French colonies are increasingly distancing themselves from Paris to align more closely with Russia and China.
Source: Al Jazeera (adapted)
