ECOWAS suspends Burkina Faso

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has suspended Burkina Faso 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.