Burkina Faso Expells Three French diplomats

Burkina Faso has taken a decisive step in severing ties with France by expelling three French diplomats, accusing them of engaging in subversive activities. This move marks another escalation in the deteriorating relationship between the two nations since Captain Ibrahim Traoré’s seizure of power in a coup in 2022.

In a letter dated April 16, the junta ordered the diplomats to leave the country within 48 hours, declaring them persona non grata. While the junta did not specify the nature of the alleged subversive activities, reports suggest that the diplomats had engaged with members of civil society during their tenure.

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France swiftly responded, rejecting the accusations levelled against its embassy staff. Christophe Lemoine, a spokesman for France’s foreign ministry, denounced the expulsion, stating, “There were no legitimate grounds for the Burkinabé authorities’ decision. We can only deplore it.”

This expulsion comes amid a broader shift in Burkina Faso’s foreign policy, with Captain Traoré steering the country away from its historical ties with France and towards closer relations with Russia. Following the coup, Russia reopened its embassy in Burkina Faso after a hiatus of over three decades. Meanwhile, the French ambassador was expelled by the junta in the subsequent month.

Last year, four French nationals were detained on allegations of being intelligence agents, which French sources denied, asserting they were IT experts. Additionally, in December 2022, two French nationals working for a local company were deported for alleged espionage.