Burkina: West African summit to decide on possible sanctions against the junta

West African states are meeting on Friday January 28 at a virtual summit to decide on possible sanctions against the Burkina Faso junta, which came to power in a military coup on Monday, and which called on its international partners to collaborate with it.

Read alsoThe putsch in Burkina Faso, a new blow for Operation Barkhane

The member countries of the Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which are due to meet around 10:00 GMT, have strongly condemned the coup.

They should at least suspend Burkina Faso from the bodies of the organization.

And as it did for Mali and Guinea where the military also took power, ECOWAS could impose sanctions on the Burkinabè junta.

In his first speech since taking power on Monday, Burkina's new strongman, Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, said Thursday evening on national television that his country needed its partners "more than ever".

Saying that he understood the "legitimate doubts" aroused by the coup, he assured that Burkina "will continue to respect international commitments, particularly with regard to respect for human rights", specifying that the independence of justice would also be "assured".

Lieutenant-Colonel Damiba pledged "to return to a normal constitutional life", "when the conditions are met", without specifying an agenda.

The head of the junta assured that "security" was his priority at the head of this country bereaved almost daily by deadly jihadist attacks.

Television, however, announced Thursday evening a reduction in the curfew put in place on Monday: from 9 p.m. (local and GMT) to 5 a.m., it goes from midnight to 0400.

"Roadmap"

The population criticized in particular the ousted president, Roch March Christian Kaboré, for not having succeeded in stemming the deterioration in security since 2015, particularly in the north and east of the country.

In the wake of Mali and Niger, Burkina Faso is caught in a spiral of violence attributed to armed jihadist groups, affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group, which have killed more than 2,000 people and forced at least 1.5 million people to flee their homes.

Since taking power, Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba has consulted the overthrown ministers as well as the unions.

To the former ministers, he asked not to leave Burkina without authorization.

To the unions, he promised to consult them and involve them in the transition.

In his televised address, he assured that he wanted to associate all the “living forces” of the nation for “a roadmap” with a view to redressing Burkina Faso.

Read alsoAfter Mali and Guinea, Burkina Faso in turn targeted by a coup

Several organizations seem inclined to work with him.

"We have an interest in this army succeeding in stabilizing the country," says the Sauvons le Burkina Faso association, which ardently demanded the resignation of Roch March Christian Kaboré.

Several opposition parties to Mr. Kaboré, including the most important, the Congress for Democracy and Progress (CDP) close to Blaise Compaoré - ex-president driven out by the streets in 2014 after 27 years in power - also marked "their willingness to appreciate the vision that will be submitted to them" by the junta.

The question of the future of Roch March Christian Kaboré should also arise soon.

Under house arrest, he is in good health according to several sources and has a doctor at his disposal.

Thursday evening, the head of the junta did not pronounce his name.

On the other hand, he concluded his speech with a well-known motto of Burkinabè, that of the country under former President Thomas Sankara: “the Fatherland or death, we will win”.

Progressive leader and pan-African icon, Thomas Sankara was killed in 1987 by a coup fomented by relatives, including Blaise Compaoré who had taken power.

The trial of his killers, started in October 2021, but put on hold by the putsch, will resume on Monday.