Burkina Faso Suspends French News Outlet ‘Jeune Afrique’, Accuses The Media Outlet Of Seeking To Discredit The Military.
By Caroline Ameh
The Burkina Faso’s junta-led government, which assumed power following a coup in 2022, has suspended the operations of the French news outlet ‘Jeune Afrique’ within the country. The government accuses the media organization of attempting to tarnish the reputation of the military, marking another instance of media restrictions in the nation since the coup.
Jeune Afrique, a website and monthly magazine founded in France in 1960, maintains a presence with correspondents and contributors across Africa and beyond.
The suspension, effective immediately, pertains to “all Jeune Afrique distribution media in Burkina Faso until further notice,” according to Rimtalba Jean-Emmanuel Ouedraogo, the government’s spokesman and communications minister. This decision came in response to a recent article titled ‘Tensions persist in Burkina Faso army,’ published on the Jeune Afrique website. The government alleges that this article, along with a previous one, ‘Discontent is growing in Burkina Faso barracks,’ published last Thursday, contains unfounded claims intended to discredit the national armed forces and other fighting entities.
Burkina Faso has witnessed a tumultuous year since Captain Ibrahim Traore’s rise to power through the coup. The government previously suspended the French television channel LCI for three months and expelled correspondents from French dailies Liberation and Le Monde. In March, the government ordered the suspension of France 24’s television channel.
The nation has grappled with recurring jihadist violence since 2015, resulting in over 17,000 fatalities and the displacement of more than two million people. The two coups in 2022 were partly fueled by discontent over the inability to quell the escalating jihadist insurgency.
The region’s instability has also contributed to military takeovers in neighboring Mali and Niger. These successive coups in the Sahel region have raised concerns among Western governments and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Junta chief Ibrahim Traore recently stated that Burkina Faso is not the “enemy of the French people” but opposes the policies of the French government. He called for a reconsideration of cooperation between the two nations, emphasizing the need for equality in their relationship.
The suspension of ‘Jeune Afrique’ in Burkina Faso underscores the challenging media environment in the country amid ongoing political and security concerns.
