Burkina Faso: Carol Flore-Smereczniak declared “persona non grata,” Faso’s sovereignty reaffirmed in the face of UN interference
The decision of the Burkinabe government to declare the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Burkina Faso, Carol Flore-Smereczniak, persona non grata is part of a broader effort to reaffirm national sovereignty and safeguard the country’s integrity. This measure stands as both legitimate and courageous.
Under the leadership of Captain Ibrahim Traoré, Burkina Faso has adopted a stance of breaking away from external interference in its governance. As such, it cannot tolerate such excesses, especially after repeated clarifications and reminders had already been issued to these UN agencies. The situation is further aggravated when the reports produced by these agencies amount to nothing more than a “compilation of unfounded claims”.
In the country’s current context, partners must not work against the direction set by the Burkinabe authorities, who are striving to pull the nation out of the lethargy in which it has been trapped for a decade—largely due to the very same partners. President Traoré has made it clear: Burkina Faso will no longer accept interference or hasty judgments that disregard local realities and the efforts underway to overcome the crisis.
While Burkina Faso remains open to international cooperation, it demands partners who are responsible and genuinely committed to mutual respect and transparency. This decision is a salutary one, as it restores the country’s control over its narrative and strategic choices, while sending a firm message to those who claim to support it without respecting its foundations.
