Burkina Faso has rejected a proposal from the United States to receive migrants deported under President Donald Trump’s revived immigration policy, describing the move as an “indecent” violation of national dignity.
The country’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Karamoko Jean-Marie Traore, announced the decision late Thursday on national television, saying the U.S. proposal ran contrary to Burkina Faso’s values.
Since Trump’s return to the White House, his administration has expanded efforts to deport migrants to so-called third countries — often places where the deportees have no prior connection. Nations including Eswatini, Ghana, Rwanda, and South Sudan have reportedly accepted such deportees in recent months.
Hours before Traore’s remarks, the U.S. Embassy in Ouagadougou announced a suspension of most regular visa services for Burkinabe citizens. The embassy said applicants would now be redirected to Lome, Togo, for visa processing.
Reacting to the move, Traore questioned Washington’s motives, suggesting it could be an attempt to pressure the West African nation.
Burkina Faso, under Captain Ibrahim Traore, has adopted a staunchly anti-Western stance since the September 2022 coup. The junta has expelled French forces, distanced itself from Western powers, and strengthened alliances with Russia.
The rejection marks the latest episode in Burkina Faso’s growing diplomatic rift with the United States and its Western allies.
