Burkina Faso has firmly declined a proposal from the United States that sought to have the West African nation receive migrants deported under President Donald Trump’s renewed immigration policy. The plan reportedly involved relocating migrants to third countries that have no connection or responsibility toward them.
Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré described the U.S. proposal as “indecent” and “an affront to human dignity,” emphasizing that Burkina Faso would not allow itself to become a dumping ground for deportees. “Our country is one of dignity. We are a destination, not a place of expulsion,” he declared during a press briefing in Ouagadougou.
The statement came shortly after the U.S. Embassy in Burkina Faso announced the suspension of most visa services, redirecting Burkinabé applicants to neighboring Togo. Traoré questioned the move, hinting that it could be a tactic to exert diplomatic pressure. “Is this an attempt at blackmail? Whatever the motive, Burkina Faso will stand by its principles,” he said.
The United States has been seeking agreements with several African nations to host migrants expelled from its territory under stricter border control measures. Countries such as Ghana, Rwanda, Uganda, Eswatini, and South Sudan are reported to have accepted similar deals. However, Burkina Faso’s outright rejection underscores its current government’s independent foreign policy approach.
Since the 2022 military takeover that brought Captain Ibrahim Traoré to power, the country has been distancing itself from former Western allies and fostering closer ties with new partners, including Russia. Analysts say the latest decision aligns with the administration’s broader strategy of asserting sovereignty and defending national pride in global affairs.
For Burkina Faso, the message is clear: it refuses to be part of any arrangement that undermines its integrity or the dignity of its people.
