The Burkinabe government on Wednesday denounced the agreement governing the presence of French troops on its soil and gave a one month notice for them to leave.French President Emmanuel Macron said he was waiting for “clarifications” from Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who has called for the departure of French soldiers from Burkina Faso.

 The French president recommended “prudence” in view of the “great confusion” in the information circulating on the option of the transition authorities.

 A diplomatic letter from the Burkina Faso Foreign Ministry seen by APA confirms Ouagadougou’s request. 

Dated Wednesday, January 18, Minister Olivia Rouamba “denounces and terminates in its entirety the agreement” of December 17, 2018, on the status of the French armed forces presence in the country.

 She added, citing a clarification of the agreement in question, that “this denunciation takes effect one month after receipt of written notification from the other party”.

 The 400-strong Operation Sabre soldiers stationed on the outskirts of Ouagadougou therefore have one month to leave the country.

 Ouagadougou said it attaches great importance to respecting the 30-day deadline and urged Paris to give it “particular diligence”.

 Last Friday, a series of demonstrators were staged in Burkina Faso demanding French special forces quit the country.

 Relations between Burkina Faso and its former colonial power have deteriorated in recent months. 

At the end of December 2022, the Burkinabe authorities asked for the departure of Ambassador Luc Hallade, whom they no longer considered a “reliable interlocutor”.

It came only a few weeks after the expulsion of two French citizens suspected of espionage.

 In Burkina Faso, regularly targeted by terrorist attacks since 2015, part of public opinion accuses France of colluding with jihadist groups and demanded a rapprochement with Russia.