Gambiaj.com – (OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso) – Authorities in Burkina Faso have dissolved and banned 118 associations from operating nationwide in a sweeping move that signals a further tightening of state control over civil society.
The announcement was made on Thursday, April 15, 2026, by the Minister of Territorial Administration and Mobility, who cited non-compliance with existing legal provisions as the basis for the decision.
However, officials did not provide specific details on the alleged violations. The measure took immediate effect, stripping the affected organizations of their legal right to operate across the country.
Among those impacted are several groups active in human rights advocacy, including the Union interafricaine des droits de l’homme, Cercle d’Éveil, Jeunesse unie pour une nouvelle Afrique, and the Burkinabè branch of the Regional African Human Rights Organization (RADHO). Authorities have warned that any organization that continues to operate in defiance of the ban will face legal sanctions.
The crackdown is being implemented under a law adopted in July 2025 that imposes stricter regulations on associations, including enhanced administrative and financial reporting requirements. Government officials say the legislation is aimed at “cleaning up” the sector and combating money laundering and the financing of terrorism.
At the time of its passage, lawmakers granted organizations a one-year grace period, rom July 23, 2025, to comply with the new framework. However, enforcement actions began early, with 21 NGOs already stripped of their authorization shortly after the law came into force.
The latest wave of dissolutions comes amid rising tensions between the government and international rights groups.
Earlier in April, authorities threatened “firm measures” against what they described as “imperialist fronts disguised as NGOs,” just days after a report by Human Rights Watch accused the Burkinabè military of committing human rights violations.
The mass suspension of associations is likely to deepen concerns among observers about shrinking civic space in the country, particularly as many of the affected organizations play key roles in rights monitoring and community advocacy.
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