The United Nations said Thursday that it plans to close its human rights office in Burkina Faso by November 30.

The move follows the country’s military government’s decision to indefinitely suspend the UN rights office’s operations.

UN rights chief Volker Türk expressed regret over the development in a statement following the suspension by Burkinabe authorities, emphasising that the closure undermines efforts to monitor and document respect for human rights.

“I deeply regret the Burkinabe authorities’ decision to indefinitely suspend our in-country operations, and that intensive engagement with the authorities since has not resolved the matter.

“This has directly affected our ability to implement our mandate and ultimately necessitated my decision to wind down the country’s presence,” Mr Türk said in a statement.

Mr Türk said the closure would not stop efforts from the UN and the government from promoting and protecting human rights in the country.

The office was established in October 2021 to capture human rights observation, documentation, and advocacy in the region.

It has trained nearly 4,000 personnel in security and defence operations, as well as in international human rights and humanitarian law.