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The government of Burkina Faso has ordered a halt to all activities of the Target Malaria project, a multi-million dollar initiative backed by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation aimed at combating malaria through the release of genetically modified mosquitoes.
The move comes amidst growing concerns from civil society groups and a shifting political landscape under the country's military leadership.
In a communiqué issued on Friday, the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation announced the termination of the project, stating that facilities containing the genetically modified mosquitoes had been sealed and all remaining samples would be destroyed.
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Bill Gates. Photo Credits: Sean Gallup/Getty Images
The decision puts an abrupt end to a project that has been in operation in the West African nation since 2012.
Target Malaria, a research consortium, has been pioneering the use of a controversial "gene drive" technology.
The aim is to introduce a genetic modification into the mosquito population that would either reduce their ability to reproduce or their capacity to transmit the malaria parasite.
The project had already conducted releases of non-gene drive, sterile male mosquitoes in the country, with the first-ever such release on the African continent taking place in 2019.
The government's decision follows a sustained campaign by a coalition of civil society organisations, which have raised ethical and environmental alarms about the project.
The Coalition for Monitoring Biotechnological Activities in Burkina Faso (CVAB) has been a vocal critic, arguing that the technology is "highly controversial, unpredictable, and poses ethical challenges."
Ali Tapsoba, a spokesperson for the coalition, has advocated for prioritising "safe alternatives" to combating malaria, a disease that claimed over 16,000 lives in Burkina Faso in 2023 alone.
Critics have also pointed to the foreign origins of the technology, with the genetically modified mosquito eggs being imported from laboratories in Europe.
This has fueled concerns about "scientific neo-colonialism" and the use of African nations as testing grounds for experimental technologies.
The current political climate in Burkina Faso, led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who seized power in a 2022 coup, is also seen as a significant factor in the decision.
The military government has been assertive in its efforts to reduce foreign influence and has revoked the operating licenses of several international non-governmental organisations.
Ibrahim Traore
In a statement, Target Malaria said that it has "been operating in compliance with Burkina Faso's national legislation since 2012" and "remains ready to cooperate" with the authorities.
The organisation emphasised that it had received all necessary regulatory authorisations for its research, including from the National Biosafety Agency (ANB) and the National Environmental Assessment Agency (ANEVE).
The suspension of the project in Burkina Faso is a significant setback for the proponents of gene drive technology as a tool for disease control.
It also highlights the complex interplay of science, ethics, and politics in the implementation of novel public health interventions, particularly in a post-colonial context.
The future of the fight against malaria in Burkina Faso will now likely focus on more conventional methods, even as the debate over the role of genetic modification in public health continues globally.