On Monday, August 18, 2025, Burkina Faso declared the United Nations Resident Coordinator in the country, Carole Flore-Smersniak, as a persona non grata, accusing her of participating in the preparation of a “false” report on the situation of children in the armed conflict.
In an official statement, the government expressed its “complete contempt” for the United Nations, accusing it of failing to involve authorities or inform them before submitting the report to the Security Council.
The document in question, titled “Children and Armed Conflict in Burkina Faso,” refers to serious violations against minors, in accordance with Security Council resolution 1612. However, the Burkinabe government strongly criticized it, stating that it “contains a set of unfounded allegations” and places “terrorist groups and national defense and security forces on an equal footing.”
The statement added that the document “does not include copies of investigation reports or judicial rulings” to substantiate the cases attributed to the Burkinabe forces, describing what was stated in it as “dangerous and false information.”
