According to GeneConvene Virtual Institute and MalariaWorld, Burkina Faso’s military government has suspended the GMO mosquito project, Target Malaria, a foreign-backed initiative that’s been releasing genetically modified mosquitoes since 2019.
The Higher Education & Research Ministry announced that all related samples will be destroyed “according to a strict protocol.”
The project, funded by international NGOs, aimed to fight malaria by releasing sterile male mosquitoes to reduce populations of disease-carrying females. While malaria remains a leading cause of death across Africa, the program faced mounting criticism, with activists warning of potential risks to local communities.
The suspension follows the latest mosquito releases in western Burkina Faso and comes amid a wider crackdown on foreign NGOs, as the junta seeks to limit outside influence in domestic affairs.
(Image: Arise News)
