By Samuel Manford (Accra, Ghana)
ECOWAS has decided not to place any new sanctions on Burkina Faso, after the military in the country took political power from the democratic Government of former President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré.
This was decided at the second Extraordinary Summit of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Heads of State and Government on the political situation in Burkina Faso, which was held in the Ghanaian capital, Accra, on Thursday, February 3, 2022 in response to a recent spate of coups in the region.
Conspicuously empty were the seats of representatives from Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso as the 15-member regional body held an emergency summit after Burkina Faso on January 24 became the third member to be overtaken by the military. Burkina Faso’s President, Roch Marc Christian Kabore was deposed amidst public anger at his handling by armed groups.
The resurgence of coups in the region is alarming as Thursday’s talks come days after the President of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embalo, survived an attempted coup after assailants armed with machine guns and assault rifles attacked the Government’s palace.
Burkina Faso followed Mali, where a coup in September 2020 was followed by a second in May 2021, and Guinea, where elected President Alpha Conde was deposed last September.
At the opening ceremony of the summit, the Chairperson of ECOWAS, Nana Akufo-Addo, the President of the Republic of Ghana in his speech said the emerging threats which stemmed from military interference in Mali had spread its contagious effects to Guinea, Burkina Faso and recently, almost took place in Guinea-Bissau just two days ago on February 1, 2022.
He lauded the President of Guinea-Bissau Umaro Sissoco Embalo for attending the summit as his presence was an indication of his resolve as well as members of the regional bloc to find a solution to military uprisings. President Embalo survived an attempted coup after assailants armed with machine guns and assault rifles attacked the Government’s palace on Tuesday. About eleven people, mostly civilians lost their lives in the shooting in Bissau and the perpetrators are currently being investigated.
The region’s recent turmoil has stoked fears among ECOWAS countries that efforts to steer West Africa towards stability and democracy are failing.
“The trend must be contained before it devastates our whole region,” Akufo-Addo said.
“This summit will focus on the emerging threats in our region that stem from the military’s interference in Mali and its contagious influence in Guinea and Burkina Faso,” he said.
Thursday’s one-day meeting, which follows the Extraordinary Summit held virtually on January 28, 2022, after the January 24 coup d’état in the country. After the Summit, the Authority deployed immediately a high-level mission of the ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff led by Ghana’s Chief of Defence Staff to hold consultations with the Military leaders on Saturday, January 30, 2022.
After which a Joint Ministerial Mission led by the Chairperson of the Council of Ministers, led by Ghana’s Minister of Foreign affairs, was also deployed to assess the political situation in the country on Monday, January 31, 2022. The delegation also included the President of the ECOWAS Commission and the United Nations representative for the Sahel and West Africa (UNOWAS). They met with the military junta led by Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, leader of the Patriotic Movement for Safeguard and Restoration (MPSR). The delegation was also granted an audience with the deposed former president Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, who was under house arrest.
During the visit, the junta declared it had restored the constitution, which it had swiftly suspended following the coup, and named Lieutenant Colonel Damiba as President and Head of the armed forces during a transition period.
However, the duration of the period and other key questions have not been detailed. Kabore, like his former counterpart in Mali, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, was toppled by disgruntled officers on the back of public protests at the handling of a jihadist insurgency.
The reports of the two missions to Ouagadougou following the coup were submitted to the Authority of Heads of State and placed under review at the summit during the closed-door session of the summit where the ECOWAS leaders assessed their outcome. The West African leaders decided against imposing further sanctions on Burkina Faso after the meeting. “We are going to ask the Burkinabe authorities to propose a clear and fast timetable for restoring constitutional order,” said a source, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Burkina Faso becomes the third ECOWAS member state to suffer a military takeover in the past 18 months after Mali and Guinea. Those countries have been hit by far-reaching sanctions in addition to suspension from ECOWAS ranks.
The African Union (AU) has also suspended Burkina Faso from its Peace and Security Council. The bloc has slapped sanctions on Mali and Guinea for failing to restore civilian rule after military takeovers. Additional measures have included the closure of borders by ECOWAS members, an embargo on trade and financial transactions as well as targeted sanctions against individuals.
Meanwhile, in Burkina Faso, the junta on Wednesday, lifted a nationwide curfew they imposed after seizing power in a coup last month, the military announced.
The restrictions were imposed on January 24 after mutinous soldiers arrested President Roch Marc Christian Kabore following a revolt at several army barracks in the capital over the handling of jihadist attacks in the Sahel nation.
Lt Col Sandaogo also reshuffled the country’s military leadership, a change sought by soldiers in the January mutiny.
Former sports minister Colonel-Major David Kabre was appointed chief of the general staff of the armed forces, with Col. Adam Nere becoming chief of staff of the army.
