In a significant move, authorities in Burkina Faso have announced the suspension of 811 associations due to the “non-renewal of their governing bodies” and the dissolution of an additional 118 organizations since mid-April. These actions, effective from May 12, 2026, are reportedly based on “existing legal provisions,” though further details have not been extensively clarified.
The affected Burkina Faso associations operate across vital sectors, including health, education, the promotion of women and gender equality, and religious activities. The ministerial decree specifies that during the suspension period, only efforts aimed at regularizing each association’s status are permissible.
“Widespread repression” concerns
In July 2025, Captain Ibrahim Traoré enacted legislation designed to regulate the freedom of association, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and trade unions. While this legal framework nominally upholds the freedom of association, it simultaneously imposes stringent requirements for declaration, administrative oversight, and legal compliance, with potential penalties extending to outright dissolution.
According to the government, the primary objectives behind these measures are to enhance transparency, systematically map all associations and NGOs operating within the country, and to intensify the fight against money laundering and the financing of “terrorism.”
International NGOs and associations that rely on foreign funding have frequently faced accusations from the Burkinabè leadership, often being implicated in alleged espionage or purported collaboration with jihadist groups. In late April, Human Rights Watch voiced its concern, stating that the new law empowers the junta to “intensify its widespread repression of civil society” within the nation.
