France has withdrawn all of its diplomats from Burkina Faso after Burkina Faso announced an end to diplomatic ties with its former colonial ruler.

AFP quoted the French Foreign Ministry on 6 July as saying Burkina Faso’s chargé d’affaires in Paris had also been summoned and informed that Burkinabè diplomatic staff had until the evening of Monday 6 July to leave France.

It said all French diplomats in Burkina Faso returned to France "late last week".

The move by France comes after Ouagadougou cut diplomatic ties with Paris, accusing the former colonial ruler of violating its sovereignty over security issues and not observing the principles of "mutual respect".

Allegations against France

Burkina Faso’s Communications Minister, Gilbert Ouédraogo, had said on 26 June that France was supporting "subversive networks" and "terrorists" in the West African country, an accusation Paris described as "unfounded".

So, what does ending diplomatic ties actually mean?

Put simply, it means the two governments are no longer dealing directly with one another.

Embassies close, diplomats leave, official government communication largely stops, and services such as visa processing become more difficult.

The latest development did not come out of nowhere.

Historical relations

Burkina Faso gained independence from France in 1960, and for decades, the two countries had maintained good relations.

However, everything began to change when Captain Ibrahim Traoré took power in 2022. His administration started pursuing a pan-African agenda and asserting national sovereignty.

It particularly accused France of economic exploitation and a neocolonial attitude.

Anti-French sentiment has also been building for years, with thousands of Burkinabè taking part in protests calling for the withdrawal of French troops and an end to France's interference in the country’s affairs.

Traoré made those demands a government policy. French forces left in 2023, military agreements were cancelled, some French diplomats were expelled in 2024, and on 26 June 2026, Burkina Faso formally severed diplomatic ties with France.

At the same time, neighbouring Mali and Niger have also severed ties with France.

Similarly, the three countries established the Alliance of Sahel States, a bloc aimed at fostering mutual defence and security cooperation as well as economic integration after announcing their withdrawal from the West African regional bloc, ECOWAS.