MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation of Christians in Burkina Faso

B9‑0033/2020

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on the situation of Christians in Burkina Faso

The European Parliament,

– having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948,

– having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which came into force in 1976, and in particular Article 18 thereof,

– having regard to Rule 143 of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas 23.3 % of the population of Burkina Faso are Christian and 61.5 % Muslim, and whereas attacks on the country’s Christian minority have increased significantly, with the most recent, on Sunday 1 December 2019, resulting in 14 deaths;

B. whereas Burkina Faso is being forced to deal with a significant deterioration in its national security as a result of the jihadist insurgency that has now spread throughout the entire Sahel region and prompted US embassy officials to leave the country;

1. Criticises the fact that G5 Sahel has not received the full amount of international financial support anticipated, in particular following the 2018 International High Level Conference in Brussels; calls on the Commission to work towards increasing the amount of international and European financial, material and human support offered to the French military forces deployed as part of Operation Barkhane and to G5 Sahel;

2. Urges the Commission and the Member States to condemn in strong terms the persecution of Christians in Burkina Faso by Islamist terrorists.