Burkina Faso Halts Bill Gates-Backed Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Project

Burkina Faso’s military government has ordered an immediate halt to a malaria eradication project backed by US billionaire Bill Gates and his foundation. The initiative, known as Target Malaria, involved the release of genetically modified mosquitoes designed to reduce the malaria-carrying mosquito population. The government directed the NGO to cease all activities in the country as of Friday, August 22, 2025.

This suspension marks the latest in a series of actions taken by the military rulers, led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who took power in a coup in September 2022. Under his administration, Burkina Faso has revoked licenses of 21 international NGOs over the past months, citing various legal and administrative breaches amid efforts to tighten control and assert national sovereignty.

Target Malaria has been active in Burkina Faso since 2012 and conducted its first release of genetically modified mosquitoes in 2019, with a subsequent release this month. The project involves over 150 African and Western researchers and aims to tackle malaria, a disease that claimed over 16,000 lives in Burkina Faso in 2023 with eight million recorded cases. Despite the urgent need to fight malaria in one of the continent’s worst-affected countries, the project has faced significant criticism locally.

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Civil society groups and some online campaigns, reportedly linked to government support, have raised concerns about the safety and ethics of genetically modified mosquitoes. A spokesperson for a coalition opposing the project urged the government to prioritize safer and less controversial malaria alternatives.

Target Malaria insists it has operated in full compliance with Burkina Faso’s legislation and expressed willingness to cooperate with the military regime. The technology uses genetically engineered male mosquitoes that are sterile, intended to reduce mosquito populations without requiring behavioral changes or reliance on medical interventions.

This development comes amid a broader crackdown by the Burkina Faso junta on foreign organizations perceived as threats to national security or sovereignty, including recent license revocations and suspensions of various NGOs. Critics argue these moves risk isolating Burkina Faso internationally and undermining civil liberties while the country contends with ongoing jihadist violence.

Burkina Faso remains in the top ten countries most impacted by malaria, underscoring the urgency of sustainable and effective interventions for malaria control going forward.