Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (AP) — Burkina Faso’s military government severed diplomatic ties with France, its former colonial ruler that had been a key security partner before relations fractured.
In a statement released Friday, the junta said the break in relations was effective immediately, accusing France of “blatant neo‑colonial ambitions and active support for subversive networks and terrorists,” without providing evidence.
France’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Pascal Confavreux said the country regrets the “hostile and unfounded decision, which illustrates the worrying drift of the Burkinabè authorities.” He added that “necessary reciprocal measures are currently under review,” and that France is monitoring the safety of its personnel and citizens in Burkina Faso, urging them to exercise heightened vigilance.
The West African nation, home to 23 million people, has endured years of violence from extremist groups linked to al‑Qaeda and the Islamic State, as well as from government forces often accused of extrajudicial killings. The broader Sahel region remains the world’s deadliest area for extremism.
It remains unclear how the end of diplomatic relations will affect the French embassy or what steps will follow.
“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.
The two sides have a history of strained ties. Since a 2022 coup, Burkina Faso’s military government has repeatedly targeted French diplomats, accusing them of undermining its interests. In 2023 the junta demanded France recall its ambassador and declared the UN humanitarian coordinator persona non grata. In 2024 three French diplomats were expelled over alleged subversive activities. Prior to the coup, France was a major security partner, contributing forces to combat extremist groups. After the coup, the junta dismissed hundreds of French troops deployed in the country.
Although the military leadership pledged to curb the violence, analysts say the insecurity has worsened under their rule. A Human Rights Watch report covering January 2023 through August 2025 found that government forces were responsible for at least 1,200 of the 1,837 civilian deaths recorded in Burkina Faso during the two‑year period, roughly twice the number attributed to extremist groups.
