Burkina Faso’s military junta has declared UN resident coordinator Carol Flore-Smereczniak persona non grata following a UN report on child rights violations. The report, published in April, accused both jihadist groups and government forces of committing abuses against children. It documented more than 2,400 violations—including child soldier recruitment, sexual abuse, and attacks on schools and hospitals—between July 2022 and June 2024. Burkina Faso’s government rejected the findings as “serious and false information,” alleging it lacked evidence. The junta also accused Flore-Smereczniak of helping prepare the document, leading to its decision to expel her. This incident marks another strain in Burkina Faso’s relations with international organizations amid its shift toward Russian security partnerships.
AP
