The government of Burkina Faso has urged the United Nations system to reconsider how it intervenes in the country, calling for a staffing approach that favors national experts over international hires. According to a letter cited by AIB, Burkina Faso's authorities say that Burkinabé specialists are underrepresented across UN agencies operating in the country.
Officials complain that international experts are often brought in without prior consultation with national institutions, including for strategic posts that are closely linked to state policy. The government says this practice weakens local ownership and undermines the development of domestic capacity.
Burkina Faso also warned that when UN budgets are tightened, the first layoffs tend to affect local staff, which further depletes the country's human resources. In addition, the authorities expressed dissatisfaction with the limited role national actors have in mechanisms for assessing and holding accountable international personnel working on Burkinabé territory.
In May, the UN Secretary‑General's Special Representative for West Africa and the Sahel, Leonardo Santos Simao, discussed growing concerns about terrorism in Burkina Faso during talks with the country's prime minister on 23 May. Simao said he had come to understand how the UN could support efforts to improve living conditions for people in the country.
Context and possible implications
Greater inclusion of national experts is a central element of the localization agenda widely promoted in humanitarian and development practice. Strengthening local staffing and decision‑making can improve program relevance, sustainability and state capacity, but it requires joint planning, transparent recruitment and predictable funding. If the issues raised by the Burkinabé government are not addressed through dialogue, they could affect coordination between national authorities and UN agencies and complicate implementation of projects aimed at stabilization and development.
What stakeholders can do
- Convene a joint review between the government and UN country teams to agree on staffing, recruitment and consultation procedures.
- Prioritize capacity‑building and clear transition plans that increase the share of national experts in strategic roles.
- Ensure national authorities participate meaningfully in monitoring and accountability mechanisms for international personnel.
This appeal by Burkina Faso underscores the broader debate about national ownership, accountability and the balance between international expertise and local capacity in fragile and conflict‑affected settings.
