Burkina Faso military regime expels three French diplomats for suspected subversive actions

The military junta ruling Burkina Faso has taken a bold step in challenging its remaining connections with France by expelling three French diplomats for alleged subversive activities. The government document, posted on social media, named the diplomats and declared them persona non grata in Burkina Faso, giving them 48 hours to leave the country.

The French foreign ministry expressed regret over the decision, stating that their activities in Burkina Faso were within the United Nations framework for diplomatic and consular relations. The expulsion comes at a time of deteriorating relations between Burkina Faso and France, its former colonial ruler.

This move follows the junta’s decision to sever military ties with France in 2023, ordering the departure of hundreds of French troops from the country. Anti-French sentiment has been on the rise in Burkina Faso, fueled by the ongoing Islamist extremist insurgency and violence in the region.

After a second coup in 2023, protesters began calling for closer ties with Russia instead of France. The junta has also distanced itself from regional and Western nations that disagree with its approach, leaving the West African economic bloc ECOWAS and forming an alliance with Mali and Niger.

As former colonies in West Africa assert their independence and challenge their historical ties with European powers, the geopolitical landscape in the region is undergoing significant changes. The actions of the military regimes in Burkina Faso and other countries signal a shift in alliances and a reevaluation of relationships with former colonial powers.