Ivory Coast deports 164 Burkinabe refugees amid concerns

The Burkinabe government has expressed regret over the deportation of 164 of its citizens, who recently sought refuge in Ivory Coast. This comes amid ongoing efforts to accommodate the 60,000 Burkinabe who have fled instability in their homeland since 2021. Many of these refugees are hosted by local families, while others are housed in government-established reception centers.

On July 13, 2024, a group of 173 Burkinabe, predominantly women, children, and about fifty men, arrived in Ouangolodougou, Ivory Coast. Seven members of the group reported to local authorities to register their livestock. However, three days later, 164 of the refugees were deported back to Burkina Faso without any official explanation.

Local sources suggest the deportations were due to the refugees' failure to register with authorities and concerns over potential migratory influxes and security infiltrations.

Ivorian Government Calls Deportation an “Isolated Measure”

Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo, spokesperson for the Burkinabe government, condemned the deportations as a violation of humanitarian principles during a Council of Ministers meeting on Wednesday. In response, Burkina Faso's Minister of Humanitarian Action visited Niangoloko to provide support and supplies to the affected individuals.

The Ivorian government insists that the deportation was an isolated incident and reaffirmed its ongoing commitment to assisting asylum seekers, a practice it has maintained for nearly three years.