The Burkina Faso government has declared two European Union diplomats persona non grata, requiring them to leave the country within 72 hours. This decision, announced on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, affects the deputy head of the EU delegation in charge of press and information, as well as the EU program manager stationed in Ouagadougou.
The move comes at a time of escalating tensions between Ouagadougou and Brussels. Earlier this year, the Burkinabe foreign ministry summoned the EU ambassador, Daniel Aristi Gaztelumendi, on June 22 to protest a resolution passed by the European Parliament. The resolution was deemed hostile and an interference in the country’s internal affairs by Burkinabe authorities.
These developments mark another chapter in the deteriorating diplomatic relations between Burkina Faso and its Western partners. Just days before the EU diplomats were expelled, Burkina Faso severed its diplomatic ties with France, further signaling a shift in the country’s foreign policy stance.
No official reasons have been provided by the Burkinabe government for the expulsion of the two EU officials. The decision follows a pattern of increasing diplomatic friction, underscoring the challenges facing international cooperation in the region.