Published on 6/26/2026
Today, Friday, the Burkina Faso government announced the severing of diplomatic relations with France, deepening the rift with the former colonial power after years of escalating tension in relations between the two countries against the backdrop of issues of security, sovereignty, and foreign interference.
The government said – in a statement broadcast on state television – that “The government of Burkina Faso announces to the national and international community that it has decided to sever diplomatic relations with France, starting today, June 26, 2026.”
The West African country is fighting an armed insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions over the past decade since it began in neighboring Mali.
“The basic conditions for strengthening relations based on mutual respect and trust and respect for the principle of non-interference in internal affairs and national sovereignty are not available,” Communications Minister Gilbert Ouedraogo said on state television.
Ouedraogo explained that the decision took effect today, June 26, and came after a review of relations with Paris. He accused France of supporting “subversive networks” and “terrorists.”
Tensions with Europe
Last Monday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Burkina Faso summoned the head of the European Union mission accredited to the country, Philippe Bronchin, to inform him of Ouagadougou’s dissatisfaction with a resolution adopted by the European Parliament criticizing what it described as the continued “repression campaigns” and “deterioration of basic freedoms.”
The European Parliament adopted the resolution last week, with a majority of 476 votes, 11 votes against, and 75 deputies abstaining from voting, criticizing the Burkina Faso authorities’ dissolution of political parties and the suspension of the activity of hundreds of civil society organizations.
The resolution stressed that “press freedom is seriously threatened” in Burkina Faso, calling for “lifting restrictions imposed on the media and allowing journalists to work freely and in complete safety.”
Burkina Faso’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Marie Traoré, earlier denounced the statements of French Member of the European Parliament, Christophe Gomart, considering that his talk about a country he had not visited and presenting numbers about it “is considered an insult to the position of the European Parliament by delivering a speech that carries a neo-colonial tendency.”
He also saw that some European officials ignore the consequences of NATO intervention in Libya on stability in the African Sahel region.
The minister said that the decision was based on inaccurate information, and that it ignored the sacrifices and efforts made by Burkina Faso in its war on insecurity alongside Mali and Niger.
A cautious diplomatic response
On the other hand, European Union Ambassador Philippe Bronchin merely acknowledged the concerns raised by the Burkinabe authorities, pledging to convey the message to the relevant institutions in the European Union, in a position that seemed more conservative than the escalatory tone adopted by the Burkinabe side.
This diplomatic exchange, according to the Voice of West Africa Network website, reflects continued tension between Ouagadougou and some European bodies over issues related to security, governance, and national sovereignty.
It is noteworthy that Burkina Faso’s relations with Western partners have witnessed tension since Captain Ibrahim Traoré came to power following a military coup at the end of September 2022.
