“Burkina Faso is a land of dignity, not deportation,” says Foreign Minister
The government of Burkina Faso has rejected a proposal from the United States to accept migrants deported under President Donald Trump’s renewed immigration policy, prompting Washington to impose sanctions on the West African nation.
The U.S. Embassy in Ouagadougou announced on October 9 that it was suspending visa services for Burkinabé citizens. Applicants seeking to travel to the United States must now go through the U.S. Embassy in neighboring Togo, a move widely seen as retaliation for Burkina Faso’s refusal to cooperate.
Since returning to office in January 2025, President Trump has intensified his crackdown on undocumented immigrants, seeking agreements with several African countries—including Rwanda, Ghana, Eswatini, and South Sudan—to take in deportees, regardless of nationality. Burkina Faso had been one of Washington’s latest targets for such an arrangement.
Burkina Faso Pushes Back
Burkina Faso’s Foreign Minister, Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, said the Trump administration wanted to use his country as a destination for deportees from the United States, including non-Burkinabé nationals. Speaking on national television, Traoré confirmed that his government rejected the offer outright.
“This proposal, which we considered inappropriate, goes entirely against the value of dignity intrinsic to Captain Ibrahim Traoré’s vision,” he said, referring to the country’s president.
The minister also condemned Washington’s response, describing the visa suspension as “a form of blackmail.”
“This decision follows a U.S. diplomatic note citing non-compliance by some Burkinabé nationals with visa rules. Whether this is pressure or blackmail, Burkina Faso is a land of dignity, not deportation,” he declared.
A Policy Rooted in Sovereignty
President Ibrahim Traoré’s government has sought to assert Burkina Faso’s independence in global affairs since his military takeover in September 2022. The country recently introduced a visa-free policy for all African nationals, aiming to boost tourism and regional integration.
Burkinabé officials insist the policy is meant to encourage African unity, not to facilitate foreign deportations.
“Free does not mean exemption,” explained Security Minister Mahamadou Sana. “All applications are reviewed before approval, and eligible African travelers receive their visas at no cost.”
Strained U.S.-Africa Relations
The diplomatic standoff comes amid growing tension between Washington and African governments following Trump’s second-term return to the White House. His administration has already suspended the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA)—which allowed duty-free access to U.S. markets—and closed several embassies across the continent.
Traoré warned that Burkina Faso would respond in kind if the U.S. maintains its sanctions.
“We cannot remain indifferent. In diplomacy, there is reciprocity,” he said. “We will take measures proportional to those of the U.S., while preserving the friendship and solidarity between our peoples.”
A Wider African Resistance
Burkina Faso joins a growing list of African nations refusing to accept deportees under Washington’s new immigration drive. Nigeria’s Foreign Minister, Yusuf Tuggar, similarly told BBC Africa in July that his country would not take Venezuelan or third-country deportees from the United States.
“We have enough challenges of our own. Nigeria cannot accept Venezuelan deportees for heaven’s sake,” Tuggar said.
According to The Wall Street Journal, other countries reportedly being courted by Washington for deportation deals include Liberia, Senegal, Mauritania, Gabon, and Guinea-Bissau.
Analysts say Burkina Faso’s firm rejection underscores a broader shift among African nations—especially members of the Alliance of Sahel States (Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger)—seeking to redefine relations with Western powers and assert their sovereignty in global affairs.
