The Latest Breaking News from Burkina Faso

Three French diplomats were given 48 hours to leave Burkina Faso on Thursday after being declared persona non grata by the ruling junta. The trio have been accused of "subversive activities", allegations that Paris denies. Relations between the two countries have been unravelling since 2022, when Burkina Faso saw its…

France condemns the move and says there ‘were no legitimate grounds’ to expel its diplomats.

Violence in the region has worsened since coups in Niger and its neighbours Mali and Burkina Faso.

In the suburbs of Burkina Faso's capital Ouagadougou, lucrative strawberry farming is supplanting traditional crops like cabbage and lettuce and has become a top export to neighbouring countries.

Attacks by jihadists are on the rise in both Niger and Mali, where juntas are keen to hold on to power. The volatile situation in the Sahel region is casting a long shadow over future elections and the return to civilian rule, which now look increasingly distant.

Niger’s ruling military angered by US accusations of ‘secret deals’ with Iran and partnering with Russia.

Russia is increasing its influence in Burkina Faso, where disillusionment with French politics has left a void.

Turkey, Iran and Morocco are vying for a greater economic and military role in Africa's Sahel after former colonial ruler France's forced withdrawal from the volatile region.

"Health and Sovereignty" was the theme. "Medical sovereignty is one of the multifaceted parts of sovereignty and Russia wants to help African countries advance it," he said in French to the Burkina24 network at the conference, where some wore stickers of the Russian and Burkina Faso flags.