West African bloc says it won’t abandon Burkina Faso after coup

The Financial Neighborhood of West African States had suspended Burkina Faso with out sanctions after the January 24 coup.

ECOWAS Chairman and Ghana's President, Nana Akufo-Addo and ECOWAS Commission President Jean-Claude Brou attend the opening of the second emergency summit
ECOWAS Chairman and Ghana's President Nana Akufo-Addo and ECOWAS Fee President Jean-Claude Brou attend the opening of a summit of the Financial Neighborhood of West African States (ECOWAS) members to debate the response to the army coup in Burkina Faso, in Accra, Ghana, February 3, 2022 [File: Francis Kokoroko/Reuters]

A consultant of West Africa’s regional bloc mentioned it could maintain working with Burkina Faso regardless of issues concerning the army’s plan to carry energy for 3 years after a January coup.

The feedback got here on Thursday from Ghana’s Overseas Minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchway who led the Financial Neighborhood of West African States (ECOWAS) delegation to the Burkina capital Ouagadougou.

“The problems and the issues that plague Burkina Faso are our issues, as nicely. It isn't on this time of want of Burkina Faso that ECOWAS will abandon it,” she mentioned after assembly coup chief and interim President Paul-Henri Damiba.

Ayorkor Botchway mentioned the physique was however involved concerning the three-year interval for transition again to democracy however that the army management had defined their reasoning.

ECOWAS had suspended Burkina Faso after the army overthrew President Roch Kabore, however has not imposed sanctions because it did on neighbouring Mali and Guinea, the place coups have additionally occurred within the final 18 months.

The rationale behind the differing strategy will not be solely clear, however could also be partly primarily based on Burkina Faso’s battle with a riot that has killed hundreds and compelled a couple of million folks – about one in 20 – to flee their houses since 2015.

ECOWAS has demanded the discharge of former President Kabore, who has been in custody for practically two months for the reason that coup. Ayorkor Botchway mentioned Damiba gave the delegation permission to go to him and that he's in good spirits.

Burkina Faso, alongside neighbours Mali and Niger, has been struggling to fight assaults by teams linked to al-Qaeda and the ISIL (ISIS) armed group lately.

The worsening violence has eroded religion in democratic governments which many consider are ill-equipped to take care of the state of affairs.

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