Military action must protect human rights, Parolin tells Burkina Faso

Cardinal Parolin said Vatican support could bring substantial benefits to Burkina Faso by providing resources for essential services such as healthcare and education.

The Vatican’s Secretary of State Pietro Cardinal Parolin emphasised that military action must respect human rights during a visit to Burkina Faso, where the government has intensified its operations against terrorism.

Speaking on 17 February shortly after meeting the transitional president Ibrahim Traoré, a captain in the Burkinabe army who led a coup in 2022, Parolin said it was “very important to combine military action with development initiatives”.

“It is important for people to be able to enjoy their fundamental rights to food, education, health and everything that makes life possible – a dignified life for the population,” he explained.

Burkina Faso was a relatively peaceful country until 2015 when militant groups such as al-Qaeda and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara began incursions into the country from its neighbours Mali and Niger.

The situation worsened during internal political strife triggered by two military coups in 2022, resulting in increased militant activity around the capital Ouagadougou. Years of fighting have left thousands dead and over two million people displaced. The government of Burkina Faso says 30 per cent of the territory is under the control of the terrorists.

Christians makes up nearly a quarter of the population of Burkina Faso, giving it one of the largest Christian populations in the Sahel region that separates North Africa from Sub-Saharan Africa.

Parolin lauded the government for its efforts to regain control of its entire territory.

“We talked a lot about peace and the fight against terrorism, about the will of the government to regain control of the territory,” he said.

He said Vatican support could bring substantial benefits to Burkina Faso by boosting morale and providing resources for essential services such as healthcare and education.

“We support the local Church in its involvement in the various areas of life and other activities, particularly in terms of health and education.”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Cooperation and the Diaspora Karamoko Jean Marie Traore conferred on Parolin the title of Officer of the Order of the Stallion honoris causa.

Mr Traore suggested this was in recognition of the Vatican’s efforts to improves the lives of the people of Burkina Faso since it established diplomatic ties with the Holy See in 1973.

“The Vatican is a key player in supporting Burkina Faso and has been speaking out on behalf of our country in a number of international forums since diplomatic relations were re-established between Burkina Faso and the Holy See,” he said.

Hundreds die in Burkina Faso’s worst terrorist atrocity

The forgotten crisis in Africa

Stay updated — add us as a preferred news source on Google: