Burkina Faso’s military government has rejected a request from the United States to accept migrants deported under President Donald Trump’s renewed immigration policy, describing the proposal as “indecent” and contrary to the nation’s dignity.
The country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, announced the decision late Thursday on national television, saying the junta had turned down Washington’s overtures to take in individuals expelled from the US, many of whom have no ties to Burkina Faso.
“Naturally, this proposal, which we considered indecent at the time, runs completely contrary to the principle of dignity,” Traoré said.
Recall that the Trump administration, since returning to power, has intensified its immigration crackdown by deporting migrants to third countries, including in Africa. Nations such as Eswatini, Ghana, Rwanda and South Sudan have reportedly agreed to receive deportees in recent months.
However, Burkina Faso, which has increasingly distanced itself from Western allies, stood its ground. Traoré accused Washington of attempting to pressure the West African country after the US embassy in Ouagadougou announced a suspension of regular visa services for most residents.
The embassy stated that Burkinabe citizens seeking US visas would now be processed in Lomé, the capital of neighbouring Togo.
“Is this a way to put pressure on us? Is this blackmail? Whatever it is… Burkina Faso is a place of dignity, a destination, not a place of expulsion,” Traoré declared.
Under Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who seized power in a 2022 coup, Burkina Faso has pursued an assertive anti-imperialist stance, expelling French troops and cutting ties with Western partners while strengthening cooperation with Russia.
Analysts see the latest standoff with Washington as a continuation of the junta’s broader effort to assert sovereignty and reject Western influence.
“Burkina Faso is a place of dignity,” the foreign minister reiterated. “A destination, not a place of expulsion.”
