Officials in Paris on Thursday announced that France was recalling its ambassador from Burkina Faso, a day after agreeing to demands from the ruling military junta to pull out troops from the former French colony in Africa's Sahel region.
"In the context of the latest developments in Burkina Faso, we have decided to recall our ambassador to Paris for consultations on the status and perspectives of our bilateral relations," the foreign ministry said.
Burkina on Monday said it had given France one month to withdraw its contingent of 400 troops stationed in the country. On Wednesday Paris agreed to do so.
For several months, the ruling junta has made known its dissatisfaction with the French Ambassador, Luc Hallade. In December, junta officials wrote to Paris, demanding Hallade's departure, claiming that he had publicly criticised the country's collapsing security apparatus.
Ambassador Hallade has been in place in Ouagadougou since the summer of 2019
The promised withdrawal marks the latest scaling down of France's military presence in Africa. The junta in neighbouring Mali has also insisted on the departure of French troops. Last year, President Emmanuel Macron brought France's decade long anti-jihadist mission to an end.
Both Mali and Burkina Faso fell out with Paris in the wake of military coups. With both nations under military rule, the French presence has become increasingly unpopular among the public.
Jihadist groups still active
Jihadist activity continues in the Sahel region while concern grows over the increasing influence of Russia, in particular through the presence of mercenaries from the Wagner Group run by an ally of President Vladimir Putin.
The Burkinabé prime minister visited Moscow in December. Two weeks ago, at the height of the crisis over the continuing presence of French military personnel, he declared that a partnership with Russia was "a logical choice".
Burkina is one of the poorest and most volatile nations in Africa.
Thousands of troops, police and civilians have been killed and two million people have fled their homes since jihadists launched an insurgency from neighbouring Mali in 2015.
More than a third of the country lies beyond the control of the government, and frustration within the army at the mounting toll triggered two separate military coups in the past year.
