Burkina Faso Orders France Out
Burkinabés protest the French presence in their country. Source for photo: CNN
The military government of Burkina Faso has ordered all French military units out of the country. This brings to an end a 2018 agreement between the two nations which authorized the French presence in order to combat Islamist militants. There were two coups in Burkina Faso in 2022, both in response to the government’s failure to combat insurgency, which ultimately led to the termination. The leader of the current government has criticized past regimes for their inability to put down the insurgency. Burkinabés have taken to the streets to celebrate the end of this foreign military presence.
The French military has had forces in the Sahel, the region of Africa where Burkina Faso is located, since the mid-2010s. The specific agreement the Burkina Faso government terminated was signed in 2018 and was intended to allow French Troops to help fight Islamist insurgents causing unrest within the nation. These insurgencies have been linked to larger international movements, including the Islamic State and al-Qaeda. France also recently pulled their forces out of Mali, where similar operations had been occurring, in response to a military coup there. Russian mercenaries associated with the Wagner Group PMC have been reported to be performing similar counter-terrorist operations, though this has not been confirmed by the Malian government. The Russia-based Wagner group has also participated in the conflict in Ukraine and has been closely linked with Neo-Nazi ideals. The United States recently labeled the Wagner Group as a “significant transnational criminal organization” and they have been accused of human rights abuses in multiple conflicts. It has been alleged by the Ghanaian government that Wagner will also assist in Burkina Faso as well, a claim criticized by the government likely due to the controversy surrounding Wagner.
France has a history of involvement with Burkina Faso and Africa; they colonized much of West Africa. The changes in Burkina Faso reflect recent change in Mali, where France has failed to suppress the insurgencies and has faced pressure from the Malian government due to their failures. Also, the people of Burkina Faso are celebrating the end of French involvement, likely due to continued failures by France to get a grip on the situation in the region. The nature of these protests show a growing anti-western movement, where people have been celebrating the leaders of Mali and Guinea, who are ruled by relatively new military juntas, and flying Russian flags. According to VOA News, a former presidential candidate in Burkina Faso, Monique Yeli Kam, has said “The old powers treat us like children… but Burkina is now independent and able to act freely.” This shows a push towards independent action without the involvement of foreign, and especially western, military powers.
Burkina Faso is another example in a growing anti-Western movement, wherein nations have lost trust in the traditional foreign powers and may move towards independent defense or may pursue the assistance of non-conventional groups like Wagner. Violence is likely to continue to rise in the nation where attacks by insurgents continue to grow. Anti-French and Pro-Russian sentiments are common in Burkina Faso and may lead to an alignment away from the Western powers. The international community has called for elections to be held in the country and there are few signs that a new regime and the removal of the French will improve conditions within the nation.