In a statement released on Friday, Samuel Paré, head of the Higher Education and Research Ministry, announced that every sample linked to the project “will be destroyed according to a strict protocol.” The move comes as part of the junta’s wider clampdown on foreign non-governmental organisations (NGOs) operating in the West African country.
Target Malaria, led by a consortium of scientists and backed by major donors including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, began its Burkina Faso operations in 2019. The first release of genetically modified male mosquitoes took place in Bana, a small village of about 1,000 residents in the country’s western region. These lab-developed mosquitoes were designed to reduce the reproductive capacity of female malaria carriers, ultimately lowering malaria transmission.
Since then, the research has gradually expanded into other regions, most recently releasing additional batches of modified insects only days before the sudden suspension order.
The decision highlights growing tension between Burkina Faso’s military government and Western-funded projects. Since Captain Ibrahim Traoré took power in 2022, his administration has repeatedly pushed back against international influence, insisting that the country needs “locally developed, safer alternatives” instead of experimental technologies promoted by foreign interests.
Critics of Target Malaria in Africa have also argued that the program risks worsening the spread of malaria, despite assurances from scientists that all experiments comply with international biosafety standards.
While the research consortium has pledged continued cooperation with authorities, the government’s order has effectively shut down the project in Burkina Faso.
Analysts say the suspension is both a blow to malaria eradication efforts and a signal that African nations remain cautious about embracing radical biotechnologies tied to Western philanthropists such as Bill Gates.
For now, Burkina Faso has made its position clear: genetically engineered mosquitoes will not be part of its public health strategy.
