The military-led government of Burkina Faso has turned down a proposal from the United States to accept migrants deported from American soil, describing the move as “an affront to the country’s dignity.”
The rejection marks another diplomatic snub to the West by the junta, which has maintained an openly anti-imperialist stance since Captain Ibrahim Traoré seized power in a 2022 coup.
Speaking on national television late Thursday, Burkina Faso’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, said the US overture was inconsistent with the nation’s values.
“Naturally, this proposal, which we considered indecent at the time, runs completely contrary to the principle of dignity,” Traoré stated, emphasising that Burkina Faso would not serve as a dumping ground for migrants with no connection to the country.
The minister’s comment followed an announcement by the US Embassy in Ouagadougou suspending regular visa services for Burkinabè citizens. The embassy further disclosed that visa processing would henceforth be handled in Lomé, the Togolese capital.
Traoré, however, questioned Washington’s motive, accusing the US government of using diplomatic pressure tactics.
“Is this a way to put pressure on us? Is this blackmail? Whatever it is, Burkina Faso remains a land of dignity — a destination, not a place of expulsion,” he declared.
The development comes as part of a renewed US immigration crackdown under President Donald Trump’s administration, which has resumed policies allowing deportation of migrants to third-party nations in Africa.
Countries such as Eswatini, Ghana, Rwanda, and South Sudan have reportedly accepted deportees under similar arrangements in recent months.
Since coming to power, Captain Traoré’s government has distanced itself from traditional Western partners, expelling French troops and aligning more closely with Russia and other pro-sovereignty African states.
