Burkina Faso has expelled three French diplomats for “subversive activities”. According to a foreign ministry note seen by AFP on Thursday, this was a further sign of mounting tensions between the African state and its former colonial master.
The French embassy received a note from the foreign ministry on Tuesday stating that the three had been deemed “persona non grata” and instructed to depart the country within 48 hours.
The diplomats are Guillaume Reisacher, Herve Fournier, and Gwenaelle Habouzit, according to the Burkina Faso government.
On Thursday, the French government declared that the “unfounded” accusations had no basis.
The decision made by the Burkinabe authorities lacked justification. Christophe Lemoine, a spokesman for the French foreign ministry, stated, “We can only regret it.”
The junta headed by Captain Ibrahim Traore separated the West African country from France, which controlled it until 1960, after seizing power in a coup in September 2022.
Following the coup, Burkina Faso withdrew the French ambassador, revoked the 1961 military agreement between the two nations, ordered the evacuation of French troops, and increasingly looked to Russia for security assistance.
In addition to the ban on some French media outlets, Russia has consented to construct a nuclear power plant for the nation of Africa.
