Cardinal Philippe Ouédraogo from Seoul on the Sahel: “The current conflict is not religious. It is political, economic, identity-based, and geostrategic.”
Seoul, the Korean capital, hosted a meeting of the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need on July 10, 11, and 12, 2025. On this occasion, Cardinal Philippe Ouédraogo, one of the main speakers, delivered a very poignant message on the security situation in Burkina Faso and the Sahel: “Let us not fall into the trap: let us reject fear, confusion, and divisive discourse. The current conflict is not religious. It is political, economic, identity-based, and geostrategic,” warns the Archbishop Emeritus of Ouagadougou, who asks: “How can we explain the fact that so many weapons are circulating in areas where access to food and drinking water is limited? Who is turning a blind eye? Who is letting it happen? Who is profiting from it?” We offer you the full text of his statement on “The Church in Burkina Faso, Witness to Hope in the Face of Persecution by Violent Islamist Extremism.”
📃 Read the full document in PDF format: Terrorisme in Burkina Faso is not a religius issue, Philipe OUÉDRAOGO en
