Burkina Faso declares un envoy persona non grata amid child rights report

The military junta in Burkina Faso has declared the United Nations’ top representative, Carol Flore-Smereczniak, persona non grata following the release of a critical UN report detailing widespread abuses against children in the country.

Expulsion follows UN report on child rights violations

This marks the second time the junta has declared a senior UN official persona non grata in recent years, after Barbara Manzi faced the same fate in 2022. The move underscores the regime’s growing hostility toward independent oversight and critical assessments of its actions.

The junta’s spokesperson accused Carol Flore-Smereczniak of involvement in compiling a report released in April, which exposes the devastating impact of the armed conflict on children in Burkina Faso. Authorities dismissed the report’s findings, which implicate government forces, allied militias, and Islamist armed groups in grave violations.

Alarming violations documented in UN report

The report reveals 2,483 grave violations affecting 2,255 children between July 2022 and June 2024. These include killings, abductions, and the recruitment or use of children by armed groups and security forces. Islamist armed groups were responsible for 65% of the abuses, while Burkinabè security forces and civilian auxiliaries—known as the Volontaires pour la Défense de la Patrie (VDP)—accounted for the remainder.

The document also highlights a sharp rise in attacks on schools and expresses deep concern over the detention of children suspected of ties to armed groups. Since 2016, Human Rights Watch has documented similar abuses, including attacks on students, teachers, and educational institutions.

Junta’s escalating tensions with international bodies

Relations between the junta and the UN have deteriorated in recent months. In March, the Foreign Minister condemned the UN’s use of terms like “non-state armed groups” to describe terrorists and labeled the VDP as “militias.” In July, the government called for a “refocusing” of UN operations in Burkina Faso to align with the regime’s agenda.

Since seizing power in a 2022 coup, the military leadership has intensified repression against media outlets, political opponents, and dissenting voices. Rather than addressing abuses, the junta has chosen confrontation, urging international partners to collaborate on strategies to end violations rather than suppress scrutiny.