Burkina Faso authorities do not have authority to expel senior UN official: Guterres
In a statement issued on Saturday, Mr. Guterres announced that he has full confidence in the UN program in Burkina Faso, as well as in the commitment of Ms.
For years, Burkina Faso has suffered from political instability, and saw two military coups in 2022 alone. This year also saw an increase in the deadly terrorist attacks that have long killed the country: at least 79 were killed in an attack in a city in the north of the country in June and, on Monday, the A small bus reportedly hit a passenger, who died. around 10 people.
Amidst this lack of security, Burkina Faso is facing a serious humanitarian crisis, with more than one million people in Burkina Faso displaced from their homes, victims of the ongoing conflict and poverty.
In November, in a blog published by UN News, Ms. Manzi described the vulnerability of education and health services to terrorist groups, many of which have been forced to kill, exacerbating the crisis.
According to media reports, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Burkina Faso indicated the decision of Ms.
However, as Mr. Guterres pointed out in his statement, the doctrine of persona non grata does not apply to United Nations officials.
“Under Articles 100 and 101 of the Charter of the United Nations, the staff members of the United Nations are appointed by the Secretary-General, responsible only to the Organization, and the member states of the United Nations undertake to respect the international only them”, explained the UN leader.
The statement goes on to explain that UN officials have the right to be in Burkina Faso in order to carry out their duties on behalf of the Organization, and that only the UN Secretary-General, as the Executive Director of the Organization, has the authority to dismiss any United Nations official. away
Mr. Guterres reiterated the commitment of the United Nations to continue to engage with the transitional authorities in Burkina Faso, and to support the country and its people.
