François Compaoré Stuck in Ivory Coast After Visa Expiration

According to Jeune Afrique, François Compaoré has been stuck in Ivory Coast for several weeks.

He had traveled to the country to see his ailing brother Blaise Compaoré, Burkina Faso’s former president who is now living in exile in Abidjan. However, he has been unable to return to France since his visa expired.

Compaoré, who is Ivorian, has lived in France for the past eight years. However, he has yet to renew his visa with French authorities in Abidjan.

The 70-year-old’s lawyer is François-Henri Briard of the Paris-based firm Briard. Compaoré filed an appeal with a French court in November, hoping to be granted permission to return, but his application was denied.

According to a report cited by Jeune Afrique, Compaoré presented several arguments in his defence.

He argued that he needed to return to France to help take care of his son, stating that his son’s illness requires him to ”accompanies him, ensure his medical follow-up, well-being, and personal development, which his wife cannot do alone.”

Compaoré also stated that he himself requires an operation that had been planned before he left France.

The judge, meanwhile, argued that Compaoré did not provide any documents to support his claims.

Compaoré’s team are gearing up to submit another request in the hopes that he can return to France.