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SUMMARY: Between 21 April and 04 May, 218 social media posts on the aid sector generated 571 comments across Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso - a 50 percent increase in number of comments for the previous two week monitoring period. This increase is largely driven by a sharp rise in conversations around UN agencies in Burkina Faso, and by an uptick in posts related to protests at a UN refugee camp in Niger.
SPOTLIGHT ON: UN Motorcycle Donation Triggers Suspicion Despite Official Messaging in Burkina Faso On 2 May 2025, 11 Facebook posts across various media platforms reported that a UN programme had donated 100 motorcycles to Burkina Faso’s national gendarmerie to support security operations. Among these, a post by a state-run media outlet drew the most attention, with 91 of the 117 total comments appearing beneath it. While the announcement framed the donation as a gesture of solidarity and operational support in a challenging international context, the public response revealed a sharply contrasting narrative. The overwhelming tone of user reactions was one of mistrust. Many commenters speculated that the motorcycles could be equipped with hidden GPS trackers, listening devices, or other surveillance tools. Calls for thorough inspections—“piece by piece” dismantling by technical experts—were widespread. Others questioned why external actors were providing such support at this stage, suggesting that the donation was either belated or politically-motivated. Some advocated returning the motorcycles altogether, while others recommended their use be limited to administrative tasks in urban areas to avoid compromising security operations. The fact that the majority of critical responses were concentrated beneath a government-endorsed post is notable. Despite the official framing of the donation as a positive development, social media users did not hesitate to challenge the legitimacy or intentions of international assistance.