The United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR) will close its office in Burkina Faso by the end of November after the country's authorities indefinitely suspended its operations following a dispute over criticism of civic freedoms earlier this year.
The decision comes three months after Burkina Faso's authorities halted the office's activities in February in response to an OHCHR statement that urged the government to uphold civic space following Ouagadougou’s decision to dissolve political parties and repeal the legal framework governing them.
According to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, months of engagement with Burkinabe authorities have failed to resolve the impasse, leaving the office unable to carry out its mandate.
“I deeply regret the Burkinabe authorities’ decision indefinitely suspending our in-country operations, and that intensive engagement with the authorities since has not resolved the matter,” Türk said in a statement on Thursday.
"This has directly affected our ability to implement our mandate and ultimately necessitated my decision to wind down the country's presence.”
Despite the impending closure, Türk stressed that the UN remained committed to working with Burkina Faso on human rights issues.
"My Office and I remain committed to continue supporting and cooperating with the Government, national institutions, civil society, and other stakeholders, to keep promoting and protecting human rights in Burkina Faso," he said.
The UN human rights office in Burkina Faso was established in October 2021 to monitor and document human rights violations, engage government authorities on human rights concerns and strengthen compliance with international human rights standards.
According to the UN, the office has also trained nearly 4,000 members of Burkina Faso's defence and security forces in international human rights and humanitarian law.
The closure will end the OHCHR’s presence in Burkina Faso, where security forces have been battling an extremist insurgency amid persistent concerns raised by international organisations over the protection of human rights and civic freedoms.
The development comes as the International Criminal Court (ICC) confirmed on Thursday that Burkina Faso, alongside Mali and Niger, has formally notified the court of its intention to withdraw from the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC and grants it jurisdiction over genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
The move formalised announcements made by the three West African countries last year that they intended to leave the court.
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