2023-09-18 17:01:22
A Burkinabe schoolgirl in Dori, February 4, 2020. OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP
France has decided to suspend international adoption procedures concerning children residing in Burkina Faso. “All international adoption procedures concerning children habitually resident in Burkina Faso by any person habitually residing in France are suspended”specifies a decree from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs published Saturday September 16 at Official newspaper.
This suspension measure does not, however, apply to files which have already been the subject of a « apparently » – identification by the Burkinabe authorities of a specific future adoptive family for a given child.
“Currently related families can continue their adoption procedure by ensuring they follow the recommendations of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs”announced on Monday the French Adoption Agency (AFA) in a communiqué. Last year, seven Burkinabé children were adopted by French people, and 268 in total since 2008, according to this organization.
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Deterioration of relationships
This French decision comes in a context of deterioration of relations between France and Burkina Faso since the arrival to power, in September 2022, following a military coup – the second in eight months – of Captain Ibrahim Traoré. The country decided at the end of last week to expel the military attaché of the French embassy in Ouagadougou, accusing him of“subversive activities”.
In March, Burkina Faso denounced a 1961 military agreement with France, a few weeks after demanding, and obtaining, the withdrawal of the French Saber force from this country prey to jihadist violence. The government had also requested the permanent departure of all French military personnel serving in the Burkinabé military administrations.
The French ambassador to Ouagadougou was recalled after the September 2022 coup and has not been replaced since. This decision concerning adoptions comes at a time when visas are suspended for Burkinabé students, but also Malians or Nigeriens, who were to continue their studies in France, due to the closure of French consular services in these countries.
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