Tensions between Burkina Faso and the United States have deepened following a recent Burkina Faso visa ban, as the West African nation firmly refused Washington’s request to accept deportees from America.
Foreign Affairs Minister Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré disclosed that he had rejected a proposal from the US government to receive migrants from third countries, questioning whether the embassy’s subsequent actions amounted to “blackmail.”
“Is this a way to pressure us? Is this blackmail? Whatever it is, Burkina Faso is a nation of dignity, not a dumping ground,” Traoré said during an interview on state broadcaster RTB on Thursday.
Following his remarks, the US Embassy in Ouagadougou announced that it would temporarily suspend issuing all types of visas — including tourist, business, and student visas — to Burkinabè citizens. The move effectively enforces a Burkina Faso visa ban, forcing applicants to travel to neighboring Togo for consular services.
According to Traoré, the US cited Burkina Faso’s failure to comply with certain visa regulations as part of the reason for the suspension. He also noted that this followed multiple proposals from the US to relocate deported migrants to the country — proposals he described as “indecent and contrary to national pride.”
The minister emphasized that Burkina Faso’s military leadership, under Captain Ibrahim Traoré, remains committed to defending African sovereignty and rejecting any form of foreign coercion.
The visa suspension marks another setback in the already strained relationship between the US and Burkina Faso’s military government, which came to power three years ago after a coup.
While some African nations — including Eswatini, Ghana, Rwanda, and South Sudan — have accepted deportees from the US in recent months, others like Nigeria have refused, citing national integrity and public concerns.
The Burkina Faso visa ban underscores growing diplomatic friction as Washington continues its immigration enforcement drive, while Ouagadougou asserts its stance as a nation of independence and dignity.
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