Burkina Faso: demonstration against the French embassy in Ouagadougou

Hundreds of demonstrators protested Friday in front of the French embassy in Ouagadougou, the Burkinabe capital, to demand the embassy be moved to its current location, close to the presidency of Burkina Faso.

The demonstrators responding to the call of the National Coordination of Citizen Watch Associations (CNAVC), armed with Burkina Faso, Malian and Russian flags, launched messages hostile to France. 

For the coordination spokesperson, Ibrahim Kaboré, the position of the French embassy adjoining the presidency of Burkina Faso "does not offer any security to our authorities". 

The demonstrators were dispersed by the Burkinabè police with tear gas. 

Relations between France and Burkina Faso have deteriorated since Captain Ibrahim Traoré came to power in September 2022. 

Burkina Faso ended its military cooperation with France in 2023.