PARIS — France on Friday said it “deeply regrets” Burkina Faso’s decision to sever diplomatic relations, warning French nationals in the West African country to remain highly vigilant as tensions escalate between Paris and Ouagadougou’s military-led government.
The French foreign ministry said it had taken note of the announcement by Burkina Faso’s authorities and was closely assessing the practical and diplomatic consequences, including the status of consular services, diplomatic personnel, and the safety of French citizens still present in the country.
Paris did not announce immediate retaliatory measures but reiterated its call for calm, restraint, and dialogue, stressing that it remained committed to ensuring the protection of its nationals under increasingly difficult conditions.
Officials also urged French citizens to avoid non-essential travel, limit movement within the country, and strictly follow security guidance issued by the French embassy and local authorities, citing a “deteriorating security environment” in parts of Burkina Faso.
The decision by Burkina Faso marks another sharp step in the breakdown of relations with France, its former colonial power, as the military government in Ouagadougou has moved to distance itself from Paris and pursue alternative international partnerships.
Relations between the two countries have deteriorated steadily in recent years amid coups, anti-French sentiment, and shifting alliances across the Sahel region, where several governments have reduced or ended defence and diplomatic cooperation with France.
France has faced similar ruptures or downgrades of relations in Mali and Niger, reflecting a broader realignment in West Africa’s geopolitical landscape.
