Burkina Faso’s government has expelled United Nations regional coordinator Carol Flore-Smereczniak after a U.N. report alleged serious violations against children in the country, a spokesperson confirmed on Monday, August 18, 2025.
In a statement, authorities said they were neither consulted in the drafting of the report, titled “Children and Armed Conflict in Burkina Faso” nor informed of its findings before publication.
The United Nations expressed disappointment with the expulsion. U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric noted on Monday that “the organization is accorded privileges and immunities, including the right for its staff members to remain in Burkina Faso in order to perform their functions on behalf of the organization.”
Officials in Ouagadougou accused the U.N. of issuing unfounded claims and including inaccuracies in the report without relying on judicial rulings or verified investigations.
Flore-Smereczniak, who has now left the country, was appointed to the role in Burkina Faso last year. According to the United Nations, she brings over two decades of expertise in development, security, humanitarian aid, and conflict-related assignments.
The dispute comes amid worsening violence in Burkina Faso, where a decade-long insurgency by Islamist militants linked to Al Qaeda and Islamic State has intensified. The crisis has also destabilized neighboring states, many of which experienced military takeovers between 2020 and 2023.
The U.N. has previously condemned widespread atrocities in the Sahel conflict, including killings, abductions, and the recruitment of child soldiers.
Despite the current tensions, Dujarric stressed that the United Nations remains committed to working with Burkina Faso’s authorities to provide support to the nation and its citizens.
