Burkina Faso's military government has refused to take in deportees from the US, as Washington suspended issuing visas in the West African nation.
Foreign affairs minister Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré questioned if the embassy's decision was "blackmail" after he said he had rejected a US proposal to take in migrants from third countries.
Appearing on state broadcaster RTB late on Thursday, the foreign minister asked: "Is this a way to put pressure on us? Is this blackmail? Whatever it is… Burkina Faso is a place of dignity, a destination, not a place of expulsion."
He said he had a meeting with the US Embassy on Wednesday in which he rejected the offer – that he said had been made repeatedly – to accept deportees.
On Thursday, the US embassy in Burkina Faso's capital Ouagadougou announced on its website that it would temporarily pause issuing immigrant, tourist, student and business traveller visas.
Instead, residents of Burkina Faso will have to travel to the US embassy in the capital of neighbouring Togo.
Foreign Minister Traoré said he had received a diplomatic note from the US explaining that Burkina Faso was put on a list of countries whose nationals had not respected rules around US visas and referring to the US proposals, according to a local news outlet's transcript of the interview.
Posted by John3262005