The relationship between Burkina Faso and France is complex, steeped in history, politics, and socio-cultural interactions. As a former French colony, Burkina Faso, known as Upper Volta until 1984, has managed its relationship with its former colonizer somewhat erratically, and to understand the most recent tensions, the nature of the implications for both nations must be fully explored.
Burkina Faso was founded as a French colony in 1896, and the colonial period dramatically shaped the nation’s socioeconomic and political structures. French administrative policies created a system that prioritized resource extraction for the benefit of France, leading to widespread poverty and underdevelopment of the local population, and the imprints of colonialism remained clearly visible even after Burkina Faso’s independence in 1960.
After the colonial era, the country went through a series of political upheavals, characterized by coups and a struggle for national identity and self-government. The most important figure of this tumultuous period was Thomas Sankara, who became president in 1983. Sankara was known for his anticolonial rhetoric and his efforts to free himself from French influence, which he perceived as neocolonialism. His assassination in 1987 marked a significant turning point, leading to a government more aligned with Western interests, including those of France, although nurturing in a large section of local society the sprouts of a new dimension of resentment toward Paris.
Despite historical grudges, Burkina Faso and France maintain significant cultural and linguistic ties. French is the country’s official language, a remnant of colonial rule that continues to facilitate communication, education and literature. Many Burkinabe scholars and artists were educated in France, contributing to a rich cultural exchange that has facilitated a long phase of constructive relations characterized by an attempt to overcome the negative legacy of the colonial experience.
Economic relations between Burkina Faso and France are historically significant, and Paris has been a key partner in development aid, providing financial assistance for infrastructure, health and education. French companies have also invested in Burkina Faso’s mining sector, particularly in gold mining, which has become a major industry in the Burkinabé economy.
However, dependence on France has been met with criticism at the national level on several occasions. Many Burkinabes argue that the economic model tends to favor foreign companies instead of promoting sustainable local development. This is compounded by growing citizen frustration over economic disparities and a perceived lack of genuine development initiatives. As a result, especially over the past decade, the feeling of economic sovereignty and diversification from dependence on France has increased sharply.
In recent years, the political dynamics between Burkina Faso and France have undergone significant changes, mainly as a result of rising anti-French sentiment, while Paris’ military operations against Islamic extremists in the Sahel region have elicited mixed reactions among the local population.
While some considered French military support essential to combat terrorism, others perceived it as a continuation of neocolonial policy. Demonstrations calling for the departure of French troops thus intensified, reflecting a growing discontent with France’s influence in national security matters. The transitional government that took power after the January 2022 coup echoed sentiments against foreign interference, highlighting Burkina Faso’s growing desire to assert its autonomy.
The tangled French-Burkinabé relationship thus quickly entered a major crisis, while the changing local political landscape showed the need for France to change and adapt its approach, recognizing the aspirations of the local population for self-determination and respect for national sovereignty. Development aid needs to move toward equitable partnerships that empower local communities rather than simply serving interests perceived as economic and securitarian; moreover, as in Algeria and many other former French colonies, Paris needs to address the historical baggage of colonialism in an open and even critical way, so as to shape a new dimension with Burkinabe citizens.
The relationship between Burkina Faso and France is thus emblematic of the broader post-colonial struggles faced by many African nations. As the country strives to find its own new identity, it must at the same time manage the legacies of its colonial past and the complexities of modern geopolitics, yet it risks in this crisis phase of relations with France and Western countries veering as abruptly as dangerously in the direction of an impervious autonomist attempt – along with Mali and Niger – and the unknown of the relationship with Russia, with the risk of an unsustainable political and economic marginalization.
