NGO bans in Burkina Faso: Power move or sovereignty defence?
Due to alleged data breaches, two foreign associations received three-month suspensions.
Authorities only made the decrees public in early July 2025, despite issuing them in mid-June, according to AFP.
Rather than enhancing civic regulation in the public eye, the enforcement appears to reflect the junta's broader efforts to suppress opposition and consolidate power over civil society.
Under Captain Ibrahim Traoré's direction, the junta claims that the actions will restore national sovereignty.
Authorities argue that foreign organisations undermine domestic efforts to combat terrorist insurgencies.
In addition, armed groups linked to Niger and Mali continue to inflict violence on Burkina Faso.
The government has removed diplomats accused of participating in subversive activities in recent months.
Despite increased military operations and international assistance initiatives, security remains precarious.
Burkina Faso has shut down several foreign media outlets due to their negative coverage.
Furthermore, the government banned Voice of America and BBC/Africa from broadcasting after Human Rights Watch (HRW) published its report.
The HRW published its report on the February 2024 massacres in April 2024, calling on the transitional government of Burkina Faso to look into the army's alleged execution of at least 223 civilians in Nondin and Soro, including 56 children.
The obstruction of international media outlets that disseminated the study severely limited access to HRW's findings on the atrocities in Burkina Faso.
The military government of Burkina Faso, headed by Captain Ibrahim Traoré, has not taken any concrete steps to look into or address the killings, media censorship, or activist arrests as of July 2025.
The junta tightened its controls over international organisations and civil society while intensifying its suppression of the opposition.
Advocacy groups criticised the NGOs' closure as politically motivated and lacking legal transparency.
NGOs are regularly suspended without formal legal proceedings or public hearings.
International observers warn of the erosion of the rule of law and democratic values.
Rising displacement rates and significant funding cuts have a significant impact on international humanitarian efforts.
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 11.
Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The South African
5 hours ago
- The South African
Inmates scam the public from prison: Phones seized in surprise raid
Acting on intelligence about a scam operation run by inmates, National Commissioner of Correctional Services Makgothi Samuel Thobakgale personally led a weekend raid at Baviaanspoort Correctional Centre. Also, the surprise raid uncovered several mobile phones and other contraband, with officials discovering 'sophisticated hideout spots' used to conceal the devices inside prison cells. 'What is most alarming is that these illicit activities were carried out in broad daylight, raising serious concerns about lapses in vigilance and continuous monitoring by officials,' the department stated. Following the raid, authorities transferred all implicated inmates to the maximum-security unit (C-Max) at Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre. A forensic analysis of the seized devices is also underway to assess the scam's full extent and aid further legal action. Furthermore, Thobakgale has demanded an urgent report from Baviaanspoort's management explaining how the scam could occur undetected. 'This glaring security breach has prompted the National Commissioner to demand a full report from the centre's management,' the department confirmed. The Department of Correctional Services has reaffirmed its zero-tolerance stance on contraband and internal criminal activity. Additionally, ongoing raids aim to dismantle illicit operations within prisons and stop illegal items from entering facilities. 'While removing illegal items is a key focus, equal attention is being given to preventing their entry in the first place. Any official found to be complicit in smuggling will face the full might of the law, with no leniency afforded,' the department warned. Thobakgale has instructed the Baviaanspoort Correctional Centre to develop and submit a detailed plan to address the operational failings that enabled the incident. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The South African
6 hours ago
- The South African
BREAKING: Donald Trump hits South Africa with 30% tariffs
South Africa is set to face a significant trade setback as US President Donald Trump has confirmed that 30% tariffs will be imposed on all South African goods starting 1 August 2025. The announcement was made in a letter from Donald Trump to President Cyril Ramaphosa. The tariffs are a result of the Donald Trump administration's stance on global trade imbalances, claiming that South Africa sells more to the US than it buys, a disparity that the US says justifies the imposition of a hefty tariff. This move is part of Donald Trump's broader 'reciprocal tariff' policy, which has sparked debate worldwide. Critics argue that the policy is based on flawed economic reasoning, with concerns over its long-term impact on international trade relations. 'South Africa's trade imbalance with the US has reached a point where it can no longer go unaddressed,' Donald Trump's letter stated. 'These tariffs are necessary to ensure fairer trade practices.' With just three weeks until the tariff implementation, South African exporters are bracing for the economic fallout. Key industries, including mining, agriculture, and manufacturing, are likely to be hit hard by the new tariff regime. Experts warn that the increased cost of doing business with the US could lead to reduced exports, putting pressure on local businesses already struggling with the global economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. South African officials have expressed concern over the sudden move and its potential to harm their economy, urging Trump's administration to reconsider the punitive tariffs. Economic analysts and trade experts have widely criticised the tariffs, arguing that the trade imbalance with South Africa is not due to unfair practices, but rather structural and historical economic factors. They claim that the imposition of tariffs could lead to retaliatory measures from other countries, further exacerbating global trade tensions. 'The reciprocal tariff policy fails to account for the complexities of international trade,' said Dr. Thabo Mbeki, former South African president and economist. 'It's a short-sighted approach that risks worsening trade relations and harming economies on both sides.' With the August 1 deadline looming, South African officials are seeking diplomatic channels to resolve the issue before the tariffs take effect. However, with the Donald Trump administration's firm stance, it remains uncertain whether a last-minute resolution can be reached. The upcoming trade blow is a pivotal moment in South Africa's relationship with the US, and exporters will be watching closely to see how this affects their ability to access the lucrative American market. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Daily Maverick
6 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Accusations of indecent exposure ‘lies' fabricated to shame him, Mbenenge tells tribunal
Eastern Cape Judge President Selby Mbenenge says he preferred to refer to his advances towards court secretary Andiswa Mengo as 'sensual' and not sexual. He had been interested in pursuing a romantic relationship with her and was testing the waters. Eastern Cape Judge President Selby Mbenenge tore into tribunal evidence leader, advocate Salomé Scheepers, on Monday, accusing her of bias. Mbenenge, who is facing charges of sexual harassment, said Scheepers was treating the tribunal as accusatorial and not inquisitorial and should have followed up on evidence proving his innocence. This particularly applied to 14 November 2022, the date court secretary Andiswa Mengo claims the judge president indecently exposed himself and made lewd suggestions to her in his office. Mbenenge said that security log books as well as his car tracking device would prove that he could not have been present at the time, yet Scheepers had failed to source this. CCTV footage of the court corridors of that specific day appeared to have gone 'missing' or had been edited, the tribunal heard previously. He told the tribunal earlier that being labelled 'barbaric, hateful and sexist' had been hurtful and that he regarded and valued women as highly as men. He has not denied making 'romantic overtures' towards Mengo and said these had been consensual. Mengo, on the other hand, had said the Judge President had pestered her with WhatsApp messages and would not take 'no' for an answer. 'Lower class' Advocate Muzi Sikhakane, Mbenenge's legal representative, dragged in the class card on Monday (having earlier dealt the race and culture cards), suggesting to his client that 'you are a judge and there is a theory that a person who is as old as you should never seek to have a relationship with a person of a lower [sic] class, age, status, category of work'. To this, Mbenenge replied that this was a notion that was 'hard to fathom, that notion that a judge cannot have affection, I just say affection, he may not be interested in somebody. I believe there's a fallacy when it comes to that. 'I don't believe a JP when it comes to engaging are confined to people of the same class,' he stated. Mbenenge said he has had to carry the stigma of the accusations for three years. 'I saw myself being treated like somebody who is presumed guilty until proven innocent. That has been the story of my life.' He told the tribunal that he was not Mengo's boss, as judges had no oversight of secretaries, who fell under the Office of the Chief Justice. He said he had appointed 'many females in my division. I have encouraged secretaries to study further, I have delivered lectures to aspirant women judges from the ranks of attorneys; these are some of the things I have done.' Mbenenge objected to the wording of the 'charge sheet' for the tribunal which had suggested 'gross incompetence' on his part, but that there had been no evidence of detail provided to him of what exactly this was. 'Sensuality' Mbenenge said he preferred to refer to his advances towards Mengo as 'sensual' and not sexual. He had become interested, he said, in pursuing a romantic relationship with Mengo and had been testing the waters. He said that 'no one under the sun is perfect' and that he was saying this knowing the tribunal was not about whether he was perfect. 'My imperfections became the subject of my thoughts on a daily basis. It resulted in being ostracised by some, people not reaching out to me, me trying to reach out to them. This dark cloud has been over me and I have had to make sure I soldier on.'
