Burkina Faso has declared UN Resident Coordinator Carol Flore-Smereczniak persona non grata, accusing her of co-chairing a report that alleged child rights abuses by the country’s security forces.
In a statement, the Burkinabe government rejected the findings, saying the report “indiscriminately” equated the actions of terrorist groups with those of national defense forces and relied on “unfounded statements and falsehoods” without supporting judicial evidence or official investigations.
The report, prepared by a UN country task force and submitted to the Security Council, detailed alleged violations against children amid the country’s ongoing security crisis. Officials in Ouagadougou expressed anger that local authorities were neither consulted during its drafting nor informed of its conclusions.
The government said it no longer recognized Flore-Smereczniak as a credible partner, accusing the report of spreading “grave and false information.” However, it reaffirmed its willingness to work with other UN representatives and agencies that it considers “genuinely committed” to cooperation.
The move underscores mounting tensions between Burkina Faso’s military-led government and international organizations, as the country continues to battle jihadist insurgencies that have displaced millions and strained state institutions.