The Burkinabè authorities have recently suspended 811 associations due to “non-renewal of their governing bodies” and dissolved an additional 118 since mid-April. These actions, impacting nearly a thousand organizations, were justified by “current legal provisions,” though further specific details were not provided.
Effective May 12, 2026, the suspended organizations operate across various critical sectors, including healthcare, education, women’s empowerment, gender initiatives, and religious activities. A ministerial decree clarifies that throughout the suspension period, only measures aimed at rectifying each association’s status are permissible.
Concerns over generalized repression
In July 2025, Captain Ibrahim Traoré enacted legislation governing the freedom of association for NGOs and trade unions. While this framework ostensibly upholds the right to associate, it simultaneously imposes rigorous requirements for declarations, administrative oversight, and legal compliance, with potential penalties including outright dissolution.
According to government officials, the primary objectives of these measures are to enhance transparency, comprehensively map all associations and NGOs operating within the country, and combat money laundering and the financing of “terrorism.”
International NGOs and organizations receiving foreign funding frequently face accusations from the current administration of engaging in espionage or collaborating with jihadist groups. In late April, Human Rights Watch, a prominent human rights advocacy organization, expressed concerns that the new law effectively enables the junta to “intensify its widespread repression of civil society.”
