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Burkina Faso’s government has expelled the United Nations’ top official in the country, Carol Flore-Smereczniak, following the publication of a report detailing grave violations against children amid the ongoing jihadist conflict.
The country declared Flore-Smereczniak “persona non grata,” citing her involvement in the preparation of the UN report released in March. The document, which covered a two-year period, reported over 2,000 cases of child recruitment, killings, sexual violence, and abuse. It attributed these violations to Islamist militants, government forces, and civilian defense groups.
In a statement, the government criticized the report for containing “unfounded allegations” and claimed it had not been consulted during its drafting.
It further argued that the report lacked supporting documentation or judicial rulings to substantiate the claims against Burkinabé forces, whom it described as “valiant fighters.”
Burkina Faso has been grappling with a jihadist insurgency since 2015, led by groups affiliated with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. The violence has claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions, contributing to political instability and two military coups in 2022.
Flore-Smereczniak, a Mauritian national, was appointed in July 2024, succeeding Italian diplomat Barbara Manzi, who was also expelled by the junta in December 2022 after publishing a blog post highlighting the impact of the crisis on education and healthcare services.
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