Burkina Faso and the United Nations have pledged to continue collaboration despite the government’s recent expulsion of UN Resident Coordinator Carol Bernardine Flore-Smereczniak.
Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean Marie Traoré met with a UN delegation led by Yacoub Ali El-Hillo in Ouagadougou on August 25, days after the coordinator was declared persona non grata.
The government accused her of co-chairing a report on children and armed conflict that allegedly misrepresented the situation, equating armed groups with state security forces.
During the meeting, the UN reiterated its readiness to maintain support, introducing Maurice Azonnankpo, UNHCR Resident Representative, as interim head of UN coordination in Burkina Faso.
Minister Traoré defended the expulsion as a sovereign decision but stressed the country’s commitment to multilateralism, calling for transparency and mutual respect in future partnerships.
Both sides confirmed their intention to pursue cooperation, with further consultations scheduled with other government members.
