The Government of Burkina Faso declared two European Union diplomats persona non grata in Ouagadougou this week, confirming a sharp deterioration in diplomatic relations between the two parties.
The decision, announced on July 14, 2026, pertains to the Deputy Head of the EU Delegation responsible for press and information, as well as a Programme Officer within the EU Delegation in Burkina Faso. Both officials have been given a 72-hour deadline to leave the country, effective from the date of notification.
No official justification has been provided for this unprecedented move. Authorities in Ouagadougou have remained tight-lipped regarding the reasons behind the expulsion, adding to the diplomatic uncertainty.
This latest development follows closely on the heels of another diplomatic confrontation. On June 22, 2026, the Burkinabe Foreign Minister, Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, summoned the EU Ambassador to Burkina Faso, Daniel Aristi Gaztelumendi, over a recent resolution passed by the European Parliament. The Burkinabe government condemned the resolution as “hostile” and an “unwarranted interference” in the country’s internal affairs.
The expulsion of these EU diplomats marks yet another chapter in the growing strain between Burkina Faso and its European partners. Just days earlier, on June 26, 2026, Burkina Faso announced the complete rupture of diplomatic ties with France, further isolating the country on the international stage.