Lomé accords mark a turning point: a framework for safe return of Burkina Faso refugees

The signing of three tripartite agreements in Lomé on 11 September represents a decisive turning point in the regional response to the Burkina Faso refugee crisis. Benin, Ghana, Togo, Burkina Faso and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) have moved beyond emergency reception to build a structured framework for the voluntary, safe and dignified return of Burkinabè refugees — but only when conditions allow. The shift is significant: it signals that the region is preparing for the day when return becomes possible, while insisting that safety and rights must come first.

What the Lomé agreements actually set in motion

The accords do not trigger an immediate repatriation. Instead, they establish a cooperation mechanism between Burkina Faso, UNHCR and each of the three host countries — Benin, Ghana and Togo. The texts lay out consultation, monitoring and preparation procedures for potential return operations and for the reintegration of those who choose to go back.

This distinction matters. In a Sahel region shaped by forced displacement, any talk of “return” can easily be read as a call to pack up and leave. UNHCR’s guiding principle is different: repatriation must be voluntary, safe and dignified, and refugees must be able to make an informed decision about their own future.

Host countries under pressure from a crisis not of their making

Years of insecurity in Burkina Faso have pushed thousands across borders. Benin, Ghana and Togo now find themselves on the front line of a crisis they did not create.

UNHCR figures show the scale. Benin recorded more than 11,000 refugees from Burkina Faso as of 31 May 2026. In Ghana, June 2026 statistics put the number of Burkinabè refugees at 13,368 — nearly two-thirds of the country’s entire refugee population. Ghana set up reception centres in the border areas of Tarikom and Zini and, in February 2025, granted prima facie refugee status to Burkinabè seeking protection.

Togo has also seen a major influx of people fleeing Sahel insecurity. According to UNHCR, the country hosted around 65,100 refugees and asylum seekers in June 2026, 86% of them from Burkina Faso.

These numbers give the Lomé agreements a human dimension. They are not about abstract population movements. Behind any future return operation are families who left their villages, abandoned their belongings and sometimes lost loved ones.

Return cannot paper over the causes of exile

This is where the role of Burkinabè authorities becomes central. For years, Burkina Faso has faced an insurgency led in part by Islamist armed groups, as well as serious allegations concerning operations by government forces and allied militias.

Human Rights Watch says the human rights situation deteriorated further in 2025. The organisation documents abuses attributed both to Islamist armed groups and to government forces and pro-government militias. It cites killings of civilians, forced displacement and growing restrictions on the media, the opposition and civil society.

In a report published in April 2026, Human Rights Watch documented 57 incidents and gathered testimony from hundreds of people to examine violence committed since 2023. The organisation believes Burkinabè forces and their allied militias, like Islamist armed groups, are responsible for grave abuses that may amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity. It calls for accountability through credible investigations.

These allegations bear directly on the context in which refugees would be asked to return. A repatriation operation cannot be considered a solution simply because a diplomatic agreement has been signed.

The junta and the question of security guarantees

Since the September 2022 coup, Burkina Faso has been led by military authorities under Captain Ibrahim Traoré. Human Rights Watch reports that the junta extended the transition period and shrank political and civic space, with measures targeting journalists, opponents and civil society organisations.

The organisation has also documented disappearances, forced conscription and restrictions on critical voices. In May 2026, it again denounced tightening measures against independent media and information.

For refugees, these elements are not secondary. The fundamental question remains protection: can they return to their villages without fear of fresh violence? Will their homes and land be accessible? Will they have access to civil documents, healthcare, schools and livelihoods? And above all, will there be mechanisms to report any violations?

UNHCR notes that durable return requires the root causes of displacement to be sufficiently addressed and peace to allow people to live without being forced to flee again.

Benin, Ghana and Togo: the responsibility of host countries

In this context, the stance of Benin, Ghana and Togo is a key part of the regional setup. By welcoming people forced to flee, these three countries have shouldered a heavy humanitarian responsibility despite their own security and economic challenges.

The Lomé agreement helps avoid setting reception against return. It gives the countries involved a framework to prepare for the future while maintaining the principle of voluntariness.

It is also a signal of regional cooperation. Gulf of Guinea countries are directly exposed to the consequences of the Sahel crisis. Population movements do not stop at borders and therefore require coordination between states, international organisations and local communities.

Benin, Ghana and Togo can thus be seen not only as neighbours of Burkina Faso but also as actors in the regional response to the crisis.

A signature, but not yet a return

The Lomé agreements are therefore more of a roadmap than a repatriation timetable. Their effectiveness will depend on how they are implemented and, above all, on conditions on the ground in Burkina Faso.

The message to refugees is clear: their return must be voluntary and must happen when security and dignity conditions are met. This caution is all the more important given that Burkina Faso remains marked by armed violence and allegations of abuses involving several parties to the conflict.

For Benin, Ghana and Togo, the challenge is now twofold: continue protecting those who need asylum while preparing, with UNHCR and Burkinabè authorities, the conditions for a possible return.

A refugee truly goes home only when they can live there in safety. The real success of the Lomé agreements will therefore not be measured by the number of people sent back to Burkina Faso, but by the number able to return freely, rejoin their communities and rebuild their lives without being forced to flee again.