Burkina Faso Junta Orders UN Official to Leave Country Immediately

On Friday, December 23, 2022, the Burkinabe junta declared the top UN official in Burkina Faso, Barbara Manzi, persona non grata, and ordered her to leave the country the same day. According to Sidwaya, Foreign Minister, Olivia Rouamba, said on national television that Manzi’s decision to evacuate the families of non-essential workers of the 33 agencies stationed in Burkina Faso was the primary reason for her expulsion. According to AFP, Rouamba confided, “we find it inconceivable because the decision was taken unilaterally, we don't have the evidence or the indicators relating to it. And beyond that, President Ibrahim Traoré contacted Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, the day before yesterday who said he was not aware of such a decision.” Rouamba reasoned that the withdrawal “discredits and tarnishes the image of the country and puts off potential investors. It’s unthinkable and we must take responsibility.” As stated in AFP, “Rouamba said Manzi had ‘predicted chaos in Burkina Faso in the coming months’, adding that the United Nations should act as a ‘support structure’ as the West African state battles a bloody jihadist insurgency.” According to AP News, Rouamba “also said Manzi told her she was in touch with ‘terrorist leaders’ and questioned how Manzi was able to easily access the besieged town of Djibo in the Sahel region while the country’s security forces were unable to.” Two days ago, Burkina Faso expelled two French nationals working for a company in the country for suspicion of espionage.