Burkina Faso’s military government has announced the severance of diplomatic ties with France, accusing its former colonial ruler of acting against the country’s national interests.
In a televised statement on Friday, Communications Minister Pingdwendé Gilbert Ouédraogo accused France of pursuing “neo-colonial ambitions” and engaging in “ceaseless activism” aimed at undermining Burkina Faso’s sovereignty.
France rejected the accusations, describing the decision as “hostile and unfounded.” The French foreign ministry said the move reflected the Burkinabe government’s “troubling drift” and advised French citizens in the country to exercise heightened vigilance.
Relations between the two countries have deteriorated since Captain Ibrahim Traoré seized power in a 2022 military coup. His administration expelled French troops, strengthened ties with Russia and China, and repeatedly accused Paris of interfering in Burkina Faso’s affairs.
The junta said ending diplomatic relations affects only official state ties and does not change the historical, cultural or social links between the people of Burkina Faso and France.
Burkina Faso has also shifted its regional alliances. In 2025, it joined Mali and Niger in leaving ECOWAS to form the Alliance of Sahel States, while democratic elections promised by the military government have yet to take place.
The diplomatic split signals another major shift in West Africa’s changing political and security landscape.
