Burkina Faso Rejects US Deportations Amid Visa Suspension

Sat Oct 11 2025 00:33:24 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

In a surprising diplomatic turn, Burkina Faso has refused to accept deportees from the United States following the suspension of visa services to its nationals. Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré criticized the US decision, questioning whether it constituted blackmail.

Burkina Faso's military government, led by Capt Ibrahim Traoré, has formally rejected a US proposal to accept deportees from third countries. This comes in response to the US embassy's suspension of visa services, which Traoré suggests is an attempt to exert pressure. His administration, which has maintained a firm stance against Western influence since seizing power in a coup, views the proposal as indecent and contrary to national dignity.

Burkina Faso's military government has refused to take in deportees from the US as Washington suspended issuing visas in the West African nation.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré questioned if the embassy's decision was blackmail after he said he had rejected an American proposal to take in migrants from third countries.

Donald Trump's administration has turned to African countries as a destination to deport migrants to as part of his crackdown on immigration.

The US State Department and Department of Homeland Security have been contacted for comment.

Burkina Faso's leader Capt Ibrahim Traoré styles himself as a pan-African champion, standing up to Western imperialism. His military government seized power in a coup three years ago, and has maintained a frosty relationship with Western nations ever since.

Appearing on state broadcaster RTB late on Thursday, the foreign minister asked: Is this a way to put pressure on us? Is this blackmail? Whatever it is... Burkina Faso is a place of dignity, a destination, not a place of expulsion.

He stated that he had a meeting with the US Embassy on Wednesday in which he rejected an offer that has been repeatedly made to accept deportees.

On Thursday, the US embassy in Burkina Faso's capital Ouagadougou announced it would temporarily pause issuing immigrant, tourist, student, and business traveller visas. Citizens will need to travel to the US embassy in neighboring Togo for visa services.

Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré said he received a diplomatic note from the US explaining that Burkina Faso was included on a list of countries whose nationals had not respected US visa regulations, referencing the US proposals according to a local news outlet's transcript of the interview.

Several African countries - Eswatini, Ghana, Rwanda, and South Sudan - have recently accepted individuals from third countries expelled from the US. However, Nigeria has also declared it will not take any US deportees.

Trump's crackdown aims to deport millions of immigrants in the US illegally, and Burkina Faso's rejection of US deportations highlights ongoing tensions in international relations regarding migration policies.

Naturally, this proposal, which we considered indecent at the time, runs completely contrary to the principle of dignity, Traoré added.