The United Nations Human Rights Office has announced it will close its Burkina Faso office by November 30, 2026, three months after the country’s military authorities indefinitely suspended its operations.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said the decision followed unsuccessful efforts to resolve the dispute with the Burkinabe government, adding that the suspension had made it impossible for the office to carry out its mandate.

Türk expressed regret over the development but said the UN would continue to engage with Burkina Faso on human rights issues from outside the country and maintain cooperation with government institutions, civil society and other stakeholders.

The Burkinabe authorities have not publicly commented on the planned closure. The office’s operations were suspended after it issued a statement urging the government to uphold civic freedoms.

The UN Human Rights Office opened its Burkina Faso mission in October 2021 to support the country as it battled a worsening security crisis driven by terrorist insurgency.