The military junta in Burkina Faso has recently taken a bold step by declaring the United Nations’ top representative in the country, Carol Flore-Smereczniak, persona non grata. This decision follows the release of a critical UN report documenting severe violations against children in the conflict-ridden nation.
Why was the UN coordinator expelled?
The junta accused Carol Flore-Smereczniak of playing a key role in drafting the April report, which highlights widespread human rights abuses affecting children in Burkina Faso. The government rejected the findings, which implicated Burkinabè authorities, pro-junta militias, and Islamist armed groups in grave violations.
The report reveals alarming figures: 2,483 grave violations against 2,255 children between July 2022 and June 2024, including killings, abductions, and forced recruitment by armed groups and security forces. Islamist armed groups were responsible for 65% of these abuses, while the remaining violations were attributed to state security forces and civilian auxiliaries supporting the military, such as the Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland (VDP).
Growing tensions between Burkina Faso and the UN
This is not the first time the junta has clashed with the United Nations. In 2022, Barbara Manzi, another high-ranking UN official, was also declared persona non grata, signaling increasing intolerance toward independent oversight. The junta has repeatedly criticized the UN for its terminology, such as labeling Islamist militants as « armed groups » and referring to the VDP as « militias ».
In March 2025, the Burkina Faso Foreign Minister condemned the UN for using what he called « inappropriate expressions » to describe terrorists and militias. By July, the government went further, demanding that the UN « refocus » its interventions in the country to align with the national leadership’s « vision ».
Children in the crossfire
The UN report also highlights a disturbing rise in attacks on schools, with children increasingly detained on suspicion of ties to armed groups. Since 2016, Human Rights Watch has documented widespread abuses by all parties in the conflict, including attacks on students, teachers, and educational institutions.
A call for accountability and collaboration
Rather than suppressing criticism, the military authorities in Burkina Faso should work with the United Nations to develop an action plan to end these violations. Since seizing power in a 2022 coup, the junta has systematically suppressed media freedom, political opposition, and dissent, making international cooperation more crucial than ever.
