Updated October 23, 2019
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso has become a stark symbol of worsening
of the Group for Supporting Islam and Muslims (JNIM
security trends in West Africa’s Sahel region, due to an
after its transliterated Arabic name).
armed conflict that began in 2016. Islamist insurgents—
some of whom have ties to the conflict in neighboring Mali,
Figure 1. Burkina Faso at a Glance
and to Al Qaeda and the Islamic State—have asserted
control over parts of the country and carried out several
large attacks in the capital. State security forces and tacitly
state-backed militia groups have been accused of severe
human rights abuses during counterterrorism operations,
including torture and extrajudicial killings.
The conflict has caused a burgeoning humanitarian
emergency, exacerbating longstanding development
challenges. Per U.N. reports, insurgent attacks and ethnic
violence had forced nearly 500,000 people to flee their
homes as of October 2019 (compared to about 80,000
reported to be displaced at the start of the year) and crippled
the health and education sectors in parts of the country.

Source: CIA and IMF public databases; 2018 estimates unless noted.
The rising violence—some playing out along ethnic lines—

has subsumed the initial optimism of the country’s recent
While remaining active primarily in Mali, JNIM has
democratic transition. The election of President Roch Marc
claimed several attacks in Burkina Faso, including deadly
Christian Kaboré in late 2015 was the culmination of a
simultaneous assaults on the national military headquarters
political transition process that began in 2014, when
and the French embassy in Ouagadougou in March 2018.
protesters, backed by several military commanders, ousted
According to U.N. terrorism sanctions monitors, JNIM and
President Blaise Compaoré. A towering figure in West
Ansarul Islam cooperate but remain distinct. Militants have
African politics, Compaoré came to power in a 1987 coup;
conducted several attacks on churches, though they appear
his latest attempt to change the constitution to evade term
to tolerate Christians in some areas they control. Mosques
limits sparked the protests that unseated him. In mid-2015,
have also been attacked. Unlike in Mali, Islamist armed
a counter-coup by elite military forces loyal to Compaoré
groups in Burkina Faso do not publicly claim responsibility
nearly derailed the civilian-led transitional government, but
for most attacks, for reasons that are unclear.
civilian protesters and conventional army units ultimately
induced the coup leaders to stand down.
The conflict has particularly affected the north and east,
with signs of spillover into the countries of coastal West
A former Compaoré ally turned opposition figure, President
Africa to the south. In the north, Ansarul Islam and JNIM
Kaboré has since struggled to respond to demands for rapid
appear to have leveraged inter-ethnic frictions, grievances
job creation, reforms, and accountability for former regime
stemming from corruption, patronage politics, social
abuses. In January 2019, the entire cabinet resigned amid
stratification, land disputes, and state neglect. The east has
rising insurgent attacks, including kidnappings of
emerged as a stronghold for a different AQIM splinter
foreigners. Elections are due in 2020, but whether conflict-
faction that has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State and
affected areas will be able to participate is uncertain.
is known as the Islamic State-Greater Sahara. The group
Terrorism and Insurgency
notably claimed the October 2017 deadly ambush of U.S.
Ouagadougou experienced its first large terrorist attack in
troops in Niger. Militants in the east appear to have sought
January 2016, when gunmen opened fire at a hotel and
ties with cross-border criminal networks and exploited
coffee shop popular with foreigners, killing 30 people—
grievances over restrictions on poaching and logging.
including an American. The assault was jointly claimed by
Conflict Drivers
Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM, an Algerian-led
The reasons and timing behind Burkina Faso’s vulnerability
regional network) and an offshoot known as Al
to civil war are a matter of debate. Sectarian tensions have
Murabitoun. Around the same time, an Islamist insurgency
reportedly risen in recent years despite a history of peaceful
known as Ansarul Islam emerged in the north, where it has
coexistence, in part stemming from continued minority
targeted schools, state officials, and individuals accused of
Christian dominance of the civil service and political class.
collaborating with the security forces. Attacks escalated in
Mali-based Islamist insurgents have long threatened to
2017 after the merger of several Islamist armed groups
attack countries, such as Burkina Faso, that contribute
active in Mali—AQIM’s Sahel branch, along with Al
troops to the U.N. peacekeeping mission there. Under
Murabitoun and two Malian-led groups—under the banner
Compaoré, security officials apparently maintained
communications with Mali-based militant factions and
https://crsreports.congress.gov

---

Burkina Faso
participated in lucrative hostage-release negotiations.
Zéphirin Diabré came in second in the presidential race and
Compaoré’s ouster and the transitional government’s
heads the political opposition; his Union for Progress and
decision to dissolve his elite presidential guard after the
Change (UPC) holds 33 seats in parliament. Ex-President
2015 coup attempt arguably disrupted the security
Compaoré, in exile in Côte d’Ivoire, appears to retain
apparatus, which in any case had little prior experience in
influence over his former ruling Congress for Democracy
active combat or counterterrorism.
and Progress (CDP), now the third-largest party in
parliament with 18 seats.
Today, state counterinsurgency tactics may be driving
conflict dynamics in some areas. Security forces and
Although political freedoms and civil liberties have
militias known as koglweogos (“guardians of the bush” in
expanded in some ways since 2014, the parliament and
the local Mooré language) have allegedly carried out
government enacted legislation in mid-2019 criminalizing
extrajudicial killings during ostensible counterterrorism
reports that could “demoralize” the armed forces,
operations in the north, predominantly targeting members
potentially imposing a significant constraint on press
of the minority ethnic Fulani (alt. Peul) community.
freedom. Islamist militants have also sharply curtailed
Ansarul Islam, like a central Mali Islamist faction to which
citizens’ rights in areas they control.
it reportedly has ties, was founded by a Fulani, and Fulanis
The Economy
are often accused of colluding with militants. Abuses may,
Landlocked and with a largely agrarian workforce, Burkina
in turn, erode state legitimacy and further encourage Fulani
Faso is one of the world’s poorest countries. Endemic food
recruitment as community members turn to armed groups
insecurity affects much of the population. Economic growth
for protection and revenge.
has averaged nearly 6% annually over the past decade, per
Regional Counterterrorism Initiatives
International Monetary Fund (IMF) data, but has not always
Burkina Faso belongs to the G5 Sahel (along with Mali,
outpaced population growth. The formal economy relies
Chad, Mauritania, and Niger), an ad-hoc partnership that
largely on exports of cotton and gold, for which global
has pursued joint counterterrorism efforts in border areas.
prices have fluctuated. Remittances from Burkinabè
residing in wealthier neighboring Côte d’Ivoire are a
The G5 Sahel has struggled to coordinate and sustain
operations. The United States, the European Union, and
lifeline for many. The State Department’s 2019 Investment
Arab Gulf states—have pledged support, but not at the scale
Climate Statement reports that Burkina Faso “welcomes
foreign investment”
that G5 members have solicited. West African leaders
while identifying challenges such as
convened an emergency summit in September 2019 in an
limited access to information, a weak judiciary, corruption,
effort to broaden the regional fight against Islamist
and “the lack of an effective separation of powers.”
militancy and garner increased resources.
U.S. Policy and Aid
French Military Operations. Burkina Faso is within the
The State Department characterizes bilateral relations as
scope of France’s Operation Barkhane, a regional
“excellent, thanks in part to strong U.S. support during the
counterterrorism mission launched in 2014 after France’s
2014-2015 political transition.” According to the
military intervention in Mali. The U.S. Defense Department
Department, U.S. policy is focused on Burkina Faso’s role
provides logistical and intelligence support. President
in regional security and stability, while also seeking to
Kaboré has pursued additional external counterterrorism
promote democracy, human rights, and development.
aid, and France has pledged to expand military cooperation
since 2018. At the same time, increased engagement by the
U.S. bilateral aid appropriations totaled $46 million in
former colonial power has sparked criticism from some
FY2018, for health programs ($29 million), Food for Peace
government officials and local activists.
under P.L. 480 Title II (FFP, $16 million), and military
professionalization ($0.5 million). Burkina Faso receives
U.S. Hostage Rescue. In May 2019, French special
additional USAID regional and global aid that seeks to
operations forces freed two French hostages that an Islamist
improve food security, mitigate conflict, and counter
armed group had kidnapped in Benin and moved into
violent extremism. The country also has received sizable
Burkina Faso. The French forces also freed two additional
security assistance through State Department regional and
hostages (an American and a South Korean) of whose
global programs, as well as counterterrorism training and
existence they had reportedly been unaware. Two French
equipment under the Department of Defense’s “global train
soldiers were killed during the mission. U.S. authorities
and equip” authority (10 U.S.C. 333), which are not
have not disclosed the name of the American hostage or the
reflected in the figures above. Burkina Faso is developing
conditions of her kidnapping, citing privacy restrictions.
proposals for a second U.S. Millennium Challenge
Politics
Corporation (MCC) development aid Compact, having
completed a five-year $481 million Compact in 2014 that
The November 2015 general elections were arguably the
sought to improve land use, agricultural productivity, road
most open and competitive in Burkina Faso’s history, and
produced the country’s first electoral transfer of power
infrastructure, and primary school completion for girls.
.
President Kaboré won 53% of the vote and his People’s
The Trump Administration has proposed to decrease
Movement for Progress (MPP) won a slim plurality in the
bilateral aid for Burkina Faso to $25 million in FY2020,
National Assembly (55 seats out of 127), later forming a
partly reflecting a proposal to end FFP aid worldwide. The
majority coalition with smaller parties. The MPP again
FY2020 budget request would also decrease funding for
performed well in municipal polls in 2016 that were
USAID’s regional programs in the Sahel and West Africa,
generally assessed to be well administered, although voters
which have supported activities in Burkina Faso. Congress
in some areas were unable to vote due to security threats.
did not adopt similar proposals in FY2018-FY2019.
https://crsreports.congress.gov

---

Burkina Faso

IF10434
Alexis Arieff, Specialist in African Affairs


Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to
congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress.
Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has
been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the
United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be
reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include
copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you
wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.

https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10434 · VERSION 6 · UPDATED

---