• Burkina Faso and the UN seek to reopen dialog after a high-level meeting in Ouagadougou.
• Talks follow the expulsion of the UN resident coordinator over a disputed report on child soldiers.
• UN aid to Burkina Faso topped $505 million in 2024, with 2.7 million people facing food insecurity.

Burkina Faso and the United Nations agreed to rekindle cooperation after a meeting on August 27 between Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré and a UN delegation.

The Burkinabè minister stressed the need for frank collaboration, saying: “Burkina Faso’s position will remain unchanged when our country’s image is damaged through documents that do not reflect reality; but we remain open to pursuing dialog and cooperation, provided that the government’s concerns and priorities are respected.”

The UN delegation, led by Yacoub Ali El-Hillo, said it had taken note of these expectations and pledged to work with Burkinabè authorities to set up new cooperation mechanisms with greater involvement of national stakeholders.

The talks come after the expulsion of Carol Flore-Smereczniak, the UN resident coordinator, who was accused by authorities of contributing to a report sent to the UN Security Council titled Children and Armed Conflict in Burkina Faso, deemed harmful to the country’s image.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Program (WFP), around 2.7 million people in Burkina Faso will face food insecurity in 2025, driven by insecurity, climate shocks, and chronic rural vulnerability. Any withdrawal or restriction of UN activities could jeopardize humanitarian aid for the most vulnerable and further worsen an already fragile regional situation.

Keeping dialog open between Burkinabè authorities and the UN is seen as crucial to avoid a breakdown with potentially serious consequences, particularly as the United States has already suspended some of its aid programs.

According to the Financial Tracking Service, the UN allocated more than $505 million in 2024 to humanitarian, food security, and health programs in Burkina Faso.