Burkina Faso declares UN coordinator ‘persona non grata’ for role in child rights report

By Mevlut Ozkan

ISTANBUL (AA) - Burkina Faso on Monday declared UN Resident Coordinator Carol Flore-Smereczniak persona non grata over her role in co-chairing the preparation of a report alleging child rights abuses by the country’s security forces.

The report “indiscriminately” cites terrorists and the Burkinabe defense forces, relies on “unfounded statements and falsehoods,” and lacks investigation reports or court rulings to support allegations of violations against children, a government statement said.

The report, prepared by a country task force co-chaired by the UN resident coordinator, analyzes the political, military, and security situation and alleges serious violations against children.

The West African country’s government expressed its “indignation at the total disregard towards Burkinabe authorities and institutions, which were neither involved in its preparation nor informed of the conclusions of the study.”

Burkina Faso said it no longer considers Flore-Smereczniak a “credible interlocutor,” accusing the report addressed to the UN Security Council of lacking “objective sources, proof or justification” and conveying “grave and false information.”

The Burkinabe government reaffirmed its commitment to the UN and its willingness to cooperate with UN representatives and country teams that are “genuinely and sincerely dedicated.”