The European Union (EU) Delegation in Burkina sent a letter, dated November 22, to the Burkinabè Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in which it deplores the « lack of appropriate reaction from the Burkinabè security services » following the movement of protest of November 18, 2022 which had targeted the diplomatic compound of the French Embassy in Ouagadougou.
Condemning « the violence of the acts perpetrated by many individuals », the delegation considered « inadmissible that the management of this type of aggression which targets for the second time in six weeks the same diplomatic forum once again disregards the provisions of the Vienna Convention”.
In the process, she recalled a verbal note sent by Bamako to the diplomatic corps on November 4, promising that measures would be taken « to strengthen the security of diplomatic missions ».
The delegation hopes for great reactivity in the event that similar events occur again, as well as the prosecution of the perpetrators of the violence. « In view of the recurrence of these events which, unfortunately, risk tarnishing the image of Burkina Faso and in order to anticipate any similar act in the future, the European Union Delegation to Burkina Faso and the missions of the Member States expect much greater responsiveness from the Burkinabè authorities in the event that similar events happen to happen again and that the perpetrators of this violence are condemned”, she specifies.
Remember that on November 18, several hundred people had protested against the presence of France. The demonstrators had gone to the French embassy to demand his departure, some of them waving Russian flags.
And this demonstration was not a first. On the occasion of the September 30 coup that brought Captain Ibrahim Traoré to power, French interests, including the embassy and two French institutes, were attacked by demonstrators.
The French Embassy in Burkina has just asked its non-essential employees to work from home and avoid travel, fearing a new demonstration against it next Friday.
“In application of a precautionary principle, non-essential agents (outside the crisis organization chart) are invited to stay at home and for those who can to telework”, wrote the French ambassador, Luc Hallade, in a message.
He invited « French operators both in Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso, to do the same », knowing that « French institutes and schools will be closed and nationals invited to limit their movements and avoid any gathering or procession » .
By OMA Newsletter N° 947 of 23/11/2022
Article published under the direction of Dr. Najib Kettani
The OMA, NGO with an Intercontinental vocation
For the development of cultural exchanges
Valuing human potential
The promotion and consolidation of Africa’s development, and
Inter-African integration
