In response to the recent announcement that 118 NGOs and associations have been dissolved in Burkina Faso, Ousmane Diallo, a senior researcher specializing in the Sahel, expressed grave concern regarding the shrinking civic space in the region.

The move has been described as a direct assault on the fundamental right to freedom of association. Such actions contradict the Constitution of Burkina Faso, which explicitly protects the rights of citizens to form associations and trade unions. Despite various legal amendments in recent years, these core constitutional principles remain legally binding.

Furthermore, the dissolution of these organizations is seen as a violation of Burkina Faso’s international human rights obligations. The country is a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, both of which are incompatible with such restrictive measures.

This wave of dissolutions is a clear component of a broader campaign to silence civil society through systemic repression.

Ousmane Diallo, senior researcher on the Sahel

Non-governmental organizations are vital to the protection of human rights and the maintenance of the rule of law. Observers are calling on the authorities to immediately reverse this decision, ensuring that these groups can operate freely and without the threat of government retaliation.

This latest development is part of a worrying trend involving restrictive legislation, harassment, and the arbitrary detention of activists and human rights defenders. These tactics appear designed to neutralize any form of organized dissent within the country.

The government is being urged to halt its restrictions on civic freedoms and to fulfill its global commitments to uphold human rights standards for all its citizens.

Background of the crisis

On April 15, 2026, the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Mobility in Burkina Faso declared the dissolution of 118 associations and NGOs. While the ministry cited compliance with existing legal frameworks, no specific evidence or detailed justifications were provided for the ban.

This follows a series of repressive measures, including the total dissolution of all political parties on January 29, 2026, which had already been under suspension for three years prior.

Financial pressures have also mounted. In November 2025, a presidential decree mandated that all domestic and international NGOs close their private bank accounts. They were forced to transfer their assets to a newly established, state-controlled bank under the National Treasury, a move that critics argue facilitates financial surveillance and the arbitrary freezing of funds.

Burkina Faso has been governed by a military administration following two separate coups in January and September 2022. While the transition to civilian rule was originally set to conclude in July 2024, the military government extended its mandate by an additional five years in May 2024.