Twelve Burkinabe diplomats and consular officials have returned to Ouagadougou following the closure of Burkina Faso’s embassy and consulate general in Paris after the government formally severed diplomatic relations with France on 26 June. The officials were received by Foreign Affairs Minister Karamoko Jean Marie Traoré, where the former chargé d’affaires, Jean Marie Bakouan, symbolically handed over the national flag and the keys to the embassy, marking the official end of Burkina Faso’s diplomatic presence in France. The diplomats dismissed reports that they had sought political asylum in France, insisting they returned voluntarily and in accordance with a sovereign decision taken by the Burkinabe government. They said the closure process was carried out in compliance with diplomatic procedures, including notifying international organisations and foreign missions accredited through the Paris diplomatic network.
Officials also said arrangements have been made with the High Council of Burkinabe Abroad to ensure citizens living in France continue to receive essential consular services, including passport processing and administrative assistance through alternative channels. The closure of the diplomatic missions marks a further deterioration in relations between Burkina Faso and France. Since the military government came to power in 2022, Ouagadougou has steadily distanced itself from its former colonial power, ending military cooperation, expelling French forces and strengthening political and security ties with partners including Russia and fellow members of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
