ECOWAS suspends Burkina Faso
Accra, Jan. 29, GNA- The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
has suspended Burkina Faso from from all activities of the Community following the
toppling of the government of President Roch Marc Christian Kabore last Monday by
the military.
The Bloc has also demanded the immediate release of President Kabore and all other
political detainees, and asked the military to restore constitutional order speedily.
ECOWAS gave the directive after an emergency virtual extraordinary summit held on
Friday by regional leaders to deliberate on the political situation in that country.
Burkina Faso’s military, led by Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba,
deposed 64- year-old President Kabore on Monday, charging him for failing to deal
with rising violence by Islamist militants.
The military subsequently suspended the country’s constitution, dissolved the
government and Parliament, and said it would return the country to constitutional order
“when the conditions are right.”
The region, which is grappling with terrorist attacks, insurgency and the COVID-19
pandemic, has experienced three military take-overs in the past 19 months, one in
Mali, the other in Guinea, and Burkina Faso.
The Bloc has instituted a raft of sanctions, including suspension from the community
and the freezing of assets, to get Mali and Guinea back to constitutional order.
Friday’s meeting dispatched two delegations to Burkina Faso to consult with the
military leaders, assess the security situation in the country and submit a report to be
reviewed by the Authority of Heads of State and Government.
