GENEVA ( 6 October 2021 ) – The UN Human Rights Office and the Government of Burkina Faso on Wednesday concluded an agreement to open a country office to help promote and protect human rights in the country. The agreement was signed by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet and Burkina Faso’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and African Integration, Alpha Barry, in a ceremony at the UN Human Rights Office headquarters. The creation of the country office aims to contribute to the promotion and protection of all human rights, including in the context of the complex security situation in the Sahel region, and to facilitate the implementation of Burkina Faso"s human rights commitments. “I am very pleased to sign this agreement. This is an important step in Burkina Faso’s commitment to international human rights standards. This new office will allow us to provide strengthened, tailored support to Burkina Faso in overcoming the many challenges it faces,” the High Commissioner said. Based on an ongoing, independent and impartial assessment of the human rights situation in the country, the country office will provide technical assistance, advice and support to the Government, as well as to the national human rights commission, civil society and other counterparts on the development and implementation of strategies and programmes to foster and uphold regional and international human rights norms and standards. This will be based on a comprehensive approach encompassing economic, social, cultural, as well as civil and political rights. With the opening of the country office in Ouagadougou, all five Member States of the G5 Sahel will now have a permanent and robust UN human rights country presence. ENDS For more information and media requests, please contact: Rupert Colville : + 41 22 917 9767 / rcolville@ohchr.org or Ravina Shamdasani : + 41 22 917 9169 / rshamdasani@ohchr.org or Marta Hurtado : + 41 22 917 9466 / mhurtado@ohchr.org