The mediation initiated by King Mohammed VI, for the release of four French nationals held in Ouagadougou since December 2023, has resulted in their release.
It is a major diplomatic breakthrough that marks a turning point in international relations in West Africa.
According to the French diplomatic sources, on December 1, 2023, the four persons, computer maintenance technicians, were arrested in Ouagadougou.
The Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Abroad, reiterated once again how the high-tension diplomatic operation, showed Morocco’s central role in the region.
According to the ministry, King Mohammed VI personally called the Burkinabe President, Captain Ibrahim Traore, to request for the release of the four French nationals, who were holders of diplomatic passports and visas, were later arrested on charges of espionage.
The allegation was formally rejected by Paris, which had described these accusations as “unfounded,” presenting them as simple IT maintenance professionals. And the diplomatic tension between the two countries had only exacerbated the vagueness surrounding this affair.
In the official statement published on December 18, 2024, the Elysée confirmed the favorable outcome of this royal mediation and President Emmanuel Macron, speaking on the phone with King Mohammed VI,
expressed his “deep gratitude for this decisive intervention which allowed the release of our compatriots held for a year in Burkina Faso.”
Until now, the French authorities had been very discreet about the situation of these four individuals, avoiding any public statement that could have compromised the negotiations.
This episode comes in a tense diplomatic context between Paris andOuagadougou. Since the September 2022 coup that brought Captain Ibrahim Traor” to power, relations between the two countries have
continued to deteriorate.
France, the former colonial power, is facing a climate of growing distrust from the Burkinabe authorities, which has led to several expulsions of diplomats which affected bilateral cooperation agreements.
Morocco’s mediation, which has been applauded by many international observers, illustrates the Kingdom’s ability to play a facilitating role in regional conflicts. It also reaffirms its position as a key player on the African scene.
For the four freed French nationals, this act of humanity puts an end to a year of uncertainty and deprivation. As for the future of Franco-Burkinabe relations, it remains to be seen whether this release will mark the beginning of an appeasement or whether it will be only a temporary lull in a climate that has remained uncertain.
MK/Sf/ac/fss/gik/APA