The crisis in Burkina Faso is among the world’s most overlooked emergencies. While headlines often skim over West Africa, the country’s struggle with insurgency, displacement, and political upheaval reveals a deeper story. What exactly is the crisis in Burkina Faso?
The roots of the crisis in Burkina Faso
The crisis in Burkina Faso dates back to 2015, when armed groups linked to al-Qaeda (JNIM) and the Islamic State (ISGS) began expanding operations across the Sahel. Burkina Faso, once considered more stable than neighbors Mali or Niger, became a new battleground. Poorly equipped armed forces, porous borders, and weak governance allowed militants to expand rapidly into rural provinces.
By 2018, attacks had escalated from sporadic ambushes to organized assaults on towns, markets, and schools. The violence disrupted farming cycles, emptied villages, and put enormous pressure on an already fragile state. The insurgency’s rise also fueled communal conflicts, often pitting communities against one another in disputes over land and resources.
Mass displacement in the crisis in Burkina Faso
According to Reuters, the crisis in Burkina Faso has driven more than two million people from their homes. Families fleeing attacks resettle in towns with limited resources, overwhelming local schools, hospitals, and food supplies.
Children are disproportionately affected. Attacks on schools—burnings, kidnappings, and threats—have left hundreds of thousands without education. Women and girls face heightened risks of gender-based violence in camps and insecure settlements. Meanwhile, farmers forced to abandon fields face chronic food insecurity, leaving nearly a quarter of the population in need of emergency assistance.
Political instability in the crisis in Burkina Faso
The crisis in Burkina Faso is not only humanitarian but also political. In January 2022 and again in September 2022, Burkina Faso’s military seized power, citing the government’s failure to contain insurgent violence. Captain Ibrahim Traoré emerged as the head of state, becoming Africa’s youngest leader. His rise reflected popular anger at insecurity but also deepened tensions with Western partners.
Burkina Faso later joined Mali and Niger in the Alliance of Sahel States, signaling a dramatic geopolitical pivot. In January 2025, these three countries formally withdrew from ECOWAS, further isolating themselves from regional structures that had long provided mediation and support. More analysis is available in our coverage of BRICS and Sahel de-dollarization.
How the crisis in Burkina Faso impacts daily life
For the average Burkinabé citizen, the crisis in Burkina Faso means insecurity is part of everyday life. Roads between major cities are unsafe due to ambushes and improvised explosive devices. Many rural areas are under effective militant blockade, cutting off trade and humanitarian deliveries. In some provinces, local populations live under parallel administrations run by jihadist groups, where taxes and strict rules are enforced outside state authority.
Healthcare systems, already weak, are near collapse in conflict-affected zones. Hospitals struggle with shortages of staff and medicines, while displaced populations crowd makeshift clinics. Insecurity also prevents vaccination campaigns and routine care, risking secondary health crises.
Burkina Faso humanitarian Crisis UN ReportInternational responses
While the United States and European Union have scaled back military cooperation after the coups, humanitarian aid continues. Russia, by contrast, has expanded its influence by offering training and equipment to the armed forces. Despite aid pledges, funding gaps remain enormous. Humanitarian groups warn that without sustained attention, the crisis in Burkina Faso will deepen, threatening the stability of the wider Sahel and beyond.
Conclusion
The crisis in Burkina Faso is complex, combining armed insurgency, humanitarian disaster, and political realignment. It is one of the gravest emergencies in Africa, yet among the least reported internationally. Understanding its layers—violence, displacement, governance, and geopolitics—is essential to grasp why the crisis in Burkina Faso matters not only for its 23 million citizens but for regional and global stability.
Frequently asked questions about the Burkina Faso crisis
A violent insurgency by jihadist groups, mass displacement, and political instability following two coups in 2022.
Over two million people are internally displaced due to violence, according to Reuters and humanitarian agencies.
Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who seized power in September 2022, is the current president.
Along with Mali and Niger, Burkina Faso left ECOWAS in January 2025, citing sovereignty and security concerns.
