Burkina Faso’s government announced it has rejected a proposal from the Trump administration to receive deportees from the United States, including non-citizens expelled under a new U.S. removal program.
Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré disclosed the decision Thursday in a televised statement, saying the U.S. request “was deemed indecent” and fundamentally at odds with the country’s values.
“Naturally, this proposal, which we deemed indecent at the time, is totally contrary to the value of dignity which is part of the very essence of the vision of Capt. Ibrahim Traoré,” he said, referring to Burkina Faso’s military leader.
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The announcement came hours after the U.S. Embassy in Ouagadougou suspended most visa services for Burkinabe residents, directing them to apply in neighboring Togo. While the embassy offered no explanation, Traoré stated it may be a “pressure tactic,” citing a U.S. note accusing some Burkinabe nationals of violating visa terms. “Burkina Faso is a land of dignity, not deportation,” he stated.
Since July, more than 40 deportees have been transferred to Africa under secretive deals with at least five nations.
Human rights groups have condemned the program, saying the U.S. offered millions in aid to countries including Eswatini, Rwanda, and Ghana in exchange for accepting deportees.
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