The Burkina Faso junta expels a top UN official following a damning report on child rights

The military leadership in Burkina Faso has declared the United Nations Resident Coordinator, Carol Flore-Smereczniak, persona non grata in a sharp escalation of tensions over a recent UN report documenting severe violations against children in the country.

Why was the UN coordinator expelled?

The junta accused Carol Flore-Smereczniak of contributing to the April UN report, which examines the devastating impact of armed conflict on children in Burkina Faso. Authorities rejected the report’s findings, which highlight abuses attributed to government-backed forces, allied militias, and Islamist armed groups.

Key findings of the UN report on child rights in Burkina Faso

The report reveals a staggering 2,483 grave violations affecting 2,255 children between July 2022 and June 2024, including killings, abductions, and the recruitment or use of minors by armed factions. Islamist groups were responsible for 65% of these crimes, while state security forces and civilian auxiliaries—known as the Volontaires pour la Défense de la Patrie (VDP)—accounted for the remainder.

Disturbingly, the report also highlights a surge in attacks on schools and expresses deep concern over the detention of children based on suspected ties to armed groups. These abuses have been extensively documented by human rights organizations since 2016, including systematic attacks on students, teachers, and educational facilities.

Growing tensions between Burkina Faso and the UN

This is not the first time the junta has clashed with the UN. In 2022, Barbara Manzi, another senior UN official, was declared persona non grata, signaling a pattern of intolerance toward independent oversight. Recent statements from Burkina Faso’s foreign ministry have further strained relations, with officials condemning the UN’s use of terms like “non-state armed groups” to describe terrorists and labeling VDP forces as “militias.”

In March, the minister of foreign affairs criticized the UN for allegedly misrepresenting the security crisis, and in July, the government demanded a “realignment” of UN interventions to align with the country’s leadership vision. Since seizing power in a 2022 coup, the military regime has intensified repression against media outlets, political opponents, and dissenting voices.

What’s next for child protection in Burkina Faso?

Rather than rejecting criticism, experts urge the junta to collaborate with the UN to implement concrete measures, such as an action plan to halt child rights violations. Failure to address these issues risks further isolating the country and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.