Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's Beirut Bureau chief: Addition of non-military envoy was agreed upon to pursue non-technical matters.
Al Mayadeen's Beirut Bureau Chief: Lebanese Presidency's statement affirms Lebanon's readiness to attend talks in an effective capacity.
Lebanese Presidency: President has assigned former Ambassador Simon Karam to head military technical committee in talks.
Israeli occupation forces carry out an arrest campaign during a raid on Surif, north of Al-Khalil in the southern occupied West Bank.
Syrian Foreign Ministry: Damascus expresses its gratitude to the countries that voted in the UN General Assembly in favor of ending the Israeli occupation of the Syrian Golan.
Ushakov: Russia and the United States agreed not to disclose the substance of the Putin–Witkoff talks.
Ushakov: No specific formulas were discussed during the meeting, but rather the essence of what was included in the US documents.
Ushakov: Several proposals and possible plans for a settlement in Ukraine were presented during the meeting.
Putin’s adviser Yuri Ushakov said the meeting between President Putin and Witkoff was constructive, practical in nature, and highly useful.
Israeli occupation forces stormed the town of Silwad, northeast of Ramallah, and fired at young men as they resisted the raid.

Burkina terminates 1961 military assistance pact with ex-colonizer

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 1 Mar 2023 17:43
  • 1 Shares
3 Min Read

The Burkinabe Foreign Ministry advised the French government that the country was "renouncing the technical military assistance agreement concluded in Paris on April 24, 1961," dated Tuesday.

  • x
  • A French soldier on patrol in northern Burkina Faso in 2019. (AFP)
    A French soldier on patrol in northern Burkina Faso in 2019 (AFP)

Burkina Faso has terminated a 1961 military assistance deal with France, just weeks after telling the French ambassador and troops allegedly backing its anti-insurgency campaign to leave the nation.

The Burkinabe Foreign Ministry advised the French government that the country was "renouncing the technical military assistance agreement concluded in Paris on April 24, 1961" dated Tuesday, AFP reported, as per the correspondence.

The agreement was reached between Burkina Faso, once known as the Republic of Upper Volta, and its long-time colonizer, France. 

In the correspondence, seen by AFP on Wednesday, the Ministry said Burkina Faso was giving one month's notice for "the ultimate departure of all French military troops operating in Burkinabe military administrations."

The decision represents a further deterioration in ties since the military deposed Burkina's elected President last year.

This comes as France's relations with several ex-colonies are in a downward spiral, which is also mirrored in the deterioration of ties between France and neighboring Mali.

Captain Ibrahim Traore, the world's youngest leader outside of monarchies, is the most recent ruler. He has promised to reclaim land captured by militants, but, like in Mali, he has prioritized national sovereignty over strategy.

Tensions with France at the political level in both nations have been accompanied by anti-French demonstrations and social media criticism.

Burkina Faso requested that France expel its ambassador, Luc Hallade, after he made remarks concerning the country's security issues. He was pulled out for consultations, ostensibly.

Burkina Faso also gave France a month to withdraw a 400-man special forces battalion deployed near the city. Last month, the French flag was lowered from the base.

This year, France withdrew the last of its troops from Mali, completing a breakup that was partly precipitated by the junta's developing partnership with Russia.

A flashback

As part of a military control project in the Sahel region, around 400 French troops were based in the country. The ex-colonizer withdrew its troops from Mali last August, as France's mission included 5,100 troops from five former French ex-colonies in the Sahel region: Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger.

It is worth noting that France sent troops to the western African country in 2013, under the pretense of defeating militants in northern Mali and the Sahel, which never happened, considering the increasing number of operations targeting Malian forces. The operation ended in February following the deterioration of France's ties with its ex-colony.

The forces have played critical roles in air power, troop transport, and reconnaissance. France has an air base in Niamey, Niger's capital, where drones are stationed.

  • Burkina
  • 1961 military aid
  • ex-colonizer
  • France

Most Read

13 elite Israeli troops were wounded in a confrontations in Beit Jinn, Syria.

13 elite Israeli troops wounded in confrontations in southern Syria

  • West Asia
  • 28 Nov 2025
Russia and China are not part of the Resistance Front, but they are playing an important role in building structures to bypass US power and thus facilitate a multipolar and freer world. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

The Resistance Front and BRICS

  • Opinion
  • 29 Nov 2025
Four killed, ten wounded in targeted California shooting in Stockton

Four killed, 10 wounded in 'targeted' California shooting

  • US & Canada
  • 30 Nov 2025
Point-blank killings: 'Israel' executes 2 Palestinian youths in Jenin

Graphic footage: IOF execute 2 Palestinians from point blank in Jenin

  • Politics
  • 27 Nov 2025

Coverage

All
In Five

Read Next

All
Pope Leo XIV waves as he boards a flight back to the Vatican after his visit to Lebanon at Beirut International Airport in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, December 2, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Pope Leo urges Trump to avoid military action in Venezuela

Palestinian journalists carry posters and mock coffins with pictures of their colleagues who were killed during the war on Gaza during a symbolic funeral in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Wednesday, October 8, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Gaza: 257 journalists killed by Israeli occupation since war began

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro addresses supporters during a swearing-in event for government-organized community committees at the presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, December 1, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Cuba condemns US military threats and intervention in Venezuela

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivers a speech at Mt. Herzl, in occupied al-Quds, occupied Palestine, Thursday, October 16, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Netanyahu ties Syria talks to DMZ in occupied Golan Heights

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS