Burkina Faso Extends Military Rule by Five Years

Burkina Faso’s military rulers will remain in power for another five years after national talks concluded with an agreement to extend the transition back to democracy by 60 months from July 2024.

This decision was confirmed by the approved new charter. “The duration of the transition is fixed at 60 months from July 2, 2024,” announced Colonel Moussa Diallo, chairman of the organizing committee of the national dialogue process, following the talks on Saturday.

The new charter was signed during a two-day national dialogue that began earlier on Saturday, May 25, 2024 aimed at charting a course back to civilian rule in a country plagued by political violence.

The military took control in a coup in 2022, initially promising elections in July 2023 to restore civilian governance. However, they indicated that security concerns would take precedence.

“The elections marking the end of the transition may be organized before this deadline if the security situation so permits,” the new charter, signed by military leader Ibrahim Traore, states.

Additionally, the charter allows Traore to run for president when the elections are eventually held.

Under the new agreement, quotas will no longer be used to allocate seats in the assembly to members of traditional parties. Instead, “patriotism” will be the only criterion for selecting deputies.

The talks in Ouagadougou included civil society representatives, security and defense forces, and lawmakers from the transitional assembly, though many political parties boycotted the process.

This extension is likely to raise concerns about democratic backsliding in Western and Central Africa, a region that has witnessed eight coups over the past four years.

Since 2015, Burkina Faso has faced a rebellion by armed groups, resulting in thousands of deaths and millions displaced. The military government, which took power in September 2022, has struggled to address these security challenges.

The government has cut military ties with former colonial ruler France, turning instead to Russia for security support. Currently, about half of Burkina Faso’s territory remains outside government control.