Ouagadougou: The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Cooperation and Burkinabe Abroad, His Excellency Karamoko Jean Marie TRAORE, granted an audience to a United Nations delegation led by Mr. Yacoub Ali El-Hillo on Monday, August 25, 2025. This meeting provided an opportunity to discuss the prospects for cooperation between Burkina Faso and the United Nations system, as well as the government’s recent decision to declare the Resident Coordinator, Ms. Carol Flore-Smereczniak, persona non grata.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the UN delegation conveyed the greetings of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to the highest Burkinabe authorities and reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to continuing its support to Burkina Faso. The Secretary-General expressed his desire to strengthen a partnership based on transparency, dialogue, and mutual trust. Mr. El-Hillo introduced the interim head of the Coordination of the United Nations System in Burkina Faso, Mr. Maurice AZONNANKPO, Resident Representative of the UNHCR, whose experience and knowledge of the Burkinabe context are seen as assets to ensure uninterrupted continuity of cooperation.
Minister TRAORE emphasized that the government’s decision to declare the Resident Coordinator persona non grata was made responsibly and after careful consideration. He cited shortcomings observed, including the publication of a report on the situation of children in the context of the security crisis without prior consultation with national authorities. The minister criticized the unilateral methodology adopted in producing the document, stressing the importance of involving national institutions in preparing any report affecting the country. He also objected to the use of certain terminologies, such as “non-state armed groups” instead of “terrorists,” as it misrepresented the situation in Burkina Faso.
Despite the decision, Minister TRAORE reassured the UN delegation that Burkina Faso remains committed to multilateralism and is ready to work with the United Nations in trust and transparency. Discussions focused on resource mobilization mechanisms, particularly through UNIDAP, to ensure greater convergence of views and increase the effectiveness of joint actions.
An expanded meeting with other members of the government is planned to continue discussions and harmonize collaborative approaches. At the end of the audience, Burkina Faso and the United Nations reaffirmed their shared desire to build a strengthened partnership based on mutual respect, trust, and efficiency in service of the Burkinabe people.