Burkina Faso has ordered three French diplomats, Gwenaelle Habouzit, Herve Fournier, and Guillaume Reisacher, to leave the country within 48 hours due to allegations of “subversive activities.” The government did not provide specifics on the accusations but cited their meetings with civil society leaders as the reason for their expulsion.
Since the military government took power in a coup in September 2022, Burkina Faso has been distancing itself from France, its former colonial power. This has included expelling French troops, suspending French media, and accusing French officials of espionage.
In December 2021, Burkinabe authorities arrested four French officials with diplomatic passports in Ouagadougou for alleged spying. These officials, who France claims were IT support staff, are currently under house arrest. In December 2020, two French nationals working for a local company were also expelled on similar charges.
As relations with France deteriorate, Burkina Faso has been seeking security assistance from Russia, Mali, and Niger to combat armed groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS operating in the region. France’s foreign ministry has not yet commented on the recent expulsion of its diplomats.