Burkina Faso slams 1961 military pact with France, all collaborations collapsed

The Burkinabe government has issued a statement denouncing a military pact with France dating as far back as 1961.

In a February 28, 2023 statement marked 'confidential,' Ouagadougou also gave a deadline for all French military personnel serving in the Burkinabe administration to depart.

The development comes months after the Ibrahim Traore-led junta asked France to withdraw all its troops from the West African nation.

France went ahead with the move even though some French personnel stayed on with other levels of cooperation.

French military collaboration and assistance had grown in the last decade after terrorist violence across the subregion spread into the hitherto peaceful country.

The government had earlier stated that all diplomatic relations with Paris will still hold even with the closure of the page on active military cooperation.

Weeks after Burkina Faso’s govt gave notice to France to withdraw its troops from the country, Ouagadougou “denounces” military assistance agreement signed with France in 1961, gives 1 month for “departure of all French military personnel serving in Burkinabe administrations" pic.twitter.com/5d6O3O8Ty9

— Samira Sawlani (@samirasawlani) March 2, 2023