Why did Burkina Faso expel 3 French diplomats from operating in the country?

In the latest sign of frosty bilateral relations, Burkina Faso expelled three French diplomats for “subversive activities”. The news was confirmed in a statement which was released by the African nation’s Foreign Ministry on April 18.

According to French News outlet Le Monde, the three diplomats were declared “persona non grata” and were told to leave the country in 48 hours. The three French officials are named Gwenaelle Habouzit, Herve Fournier and Guillaume Reisacher.

The French foreign ministry is yet to respond to the expulsion.

Why were they expelled? 

While the ministry did not reveal the exact reason for the expulsion of the French diplomats, a source close to the ruling regime told Reuters that the officials were kicked out because they allegedly had a meeting with “civil society members”.

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It is important to note that the West African nation is run by a junta that seized power in a military coup back in 2022. The coup eventually led to the breakdown of Burkina Faso’s relations with its erstwhile colonial ruler France.

Burkina Faso sidelines French presence

On December 1 last year, four French officials were arrested, charged and imprisoned in the capital Ouagadougou. As per the reports, the Burkinabe authorities claimed that they were intelligence agents but the French sources stated that they were just IT security staff.

Immediately after coming to power in the September 2022 coup, the Junta led by Captain Ibrahim Traore distanced the West African nation from France, which ruled the country until 1960.

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The diplomatic ties immediately went downhill when the French ambassador was withdrawn. After the takeover, the authorities of the African nation cancelled a 1961 military accord between the two countries and ordered a withdrawal of French troops.

The troops were recalled in light of the country’s growing closeness with Russia for security support.

France has ended military missions in Mali and Burkina Faso. More recently, the European nation has begun to withdraw forces from Niger. It is important to note that juntas are ruling in all three countries after gruesome military coups.

Burkina Faso has itself turned to Russia, Mali and Niger for security assistance.

With Inputs from agencies.