Burkina Faso’s military government, which seized power in a September 2022 coup, has continued to tighten its grip on dissent while adopting an increasingly confrontational stance toward Western nations, particularly France.
In a statement broadcast on state television on Friday, the junta announced that it was ending diplomatic relations with France with immediate effect.
“The Government of Burkina Faso hereby informs the national and international community that it has decided to sever diplomatic relations with France effective June 26, 2026,” the statement said.
The authorities accused France of pursuing “neo-colonial ambitions” and alleged that Paris had supported “subversive networks and terrorist groups” responsible for the violence affecting Burkina Faso and the wider Sahel region.
France rejected the allegations, describing the move as “hostile and unfounded.” Paris said the decision reflected “the worrying direction taken by the Burkinabe authorities” and added that it was considering an appropriate response.
Relations between the two countries have steadily deteriorated in recent years. Burkina Faso expelled the French ambassador in 2023 and later declined to approve the appointment of a replacement.
The latest announcement is expected to bring diplomatic engagement between both countries to a halt.
Despite the break in diplomatic ties, the Burkinabe government stressed that the decision applies only to official state-to-state relations. It maintained that the longstanding historical, cultural, social and human connections between the people of Burkina Faso and France remain unchanged.
Burkina Faso has faced persistent attacks by jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State for more than a decade, with the insurgency contributing to widespread insecurity across the country and the wider Sahel.
Anti-French sentiment has grown in several former French colonies in Africa as Russia and China expand their influence across the continent.
France, which once ruled large parts of West and Central Africa, has played a major role in the region since independence, carrying out several military interventions over the past six decades.
In recent years, Paris has pledged to move away from its long-standing “Françafrique” policy, a strategy widely criticised for maintaining French political and economic influence in its former colonies through close political ties, preferential business arrangements and opaque financial dealings.
