The military junta in Burkina Faso recently declared the United Nations’ top representative in the country, Carol Flore-Smereczniak, persona non grata, following the release of a critical UN report on grave violations against children in the nation.
This expulsion marks the second instance of a high-ranking UN official being declared unwelcome by the junta, with Barbara Manzi facing a similar fate in 2022. The move underscores the junta’s growing intolerance for independent oversight, particularly when it comes to human rights violations.
Junta dismisses UN report on child rights abuses
The junta’s spokesperson accused Carol Flore-Smereczniak of contributing to the UN report released in April, which highlights widespread violations of children’s rights amid Burkina Faso’s ongoing armed conflict. The government outright rejected the report’s findings, which implicate state authorities, allied militias, and Islamist armed groups in the documented abuses.
Between July 2022 and June 2024, the report documented 2,483 severe violations against 2,255 children, including killings, abductions, and the recruitment of minors by armed factions and security forces. Islamist armed groups accounted for 65% of these violations, with the remaining abuses attributed to Burkinabè security forces and civilian auxiliaries like the Volontaires pour la Défense de la Patrie (VDP).
The report also raised urgent concerns about escalating attacks on schools and the arbitrary detention of children suspected of associating with armed groups. Since 2016, Human Rights Watch has consistently documented similar abuses by all parties involved in the conflict, including targeted assaults on students, teachers, and educational institutions.
Growing tensions between Burkina Faso and the UN
The junta has repeatedly criticized the United Nations in recent months. In March, the Foreign Affairs Minister condemned the use of terms like “non-state armed groups” to describe terrorists, arguing it was misleading, and objected to the classification of the VDP as “militias.” By July, the government urged the UN to realign its interventions in Burkina Faso with the country’s leadership vision.
Since seizing power in a 2022 coup, the military authorities have intensified repression against the media, political opposition, and dissenting voices. Rather than addressing abuses, critics argue, the junta should engage with the UN to develop actionable solutions to end these violations.