Burkina Faso cuts diplomatic ties with France

The military government of Burkina Faso severed diplomatic relations with France on Friday, June 26, 2026, marking a definitive rupture with its former colonial ruler. The decision was announced in a formal statement read on national television by Communications Minister Gilbert Ouedraogo and took effect immediately.

The government, led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré who seized power in a September 2022 coup, accused France of persistently acting against Burkina Faso's interests. Ouedraogo stated that the essential conditions for relations based on mutual respect, trust, and non-interference in internal affairs were no longer in place. The official statement accused France of harboring "neocolonial ambitions," alleging it provides active support to "subversive networks and the terrorists who are plunging our country and the Sahel into mourning."

The government clarified that the severance applies exclusively to the diplomatic and institutional framework between the two states and does not affect historical, cultural, or social ties between their peoples. Officials emphasized that French nationals in Burkina Faso would continue to be protected under the law and urged citizens to...