Burkina Faso Recalls Ambassadors from Côte d’Ivoire Amid Diplomatic Tensions

According to reports from Jeune Afrique, this move has yet to be formally communicated to the Ivorian authorities, despite diplomatic protocol.

The tensions stem from Burkina Faso's accusations that Côte d'Ivoire is actively undermining its stability. These allegations have been strongly denied by the Ivorian government, which maintains that it has no interest in destabilizing its neighboring country. The diplomatic rift between the two nations has been evident for some time, as they have not exchanged ambassadors for over a year. Kapieletien Soro, the last Ivorian ambassador in Burkina Faso, left his post in September 2021, while Burkina Faso’s ambassador to Côte d’Ivoire, Mahamadou Zongo, departed from Abidjan in November 2022.

This recent recall follows comments made by Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who came to power in Burkina Faso following a second coup d'état. He specifically named Côte d'Ivoire and Benin as countries allegedly serving as bases for efforts to destabilize Burkina Faso.