President Akufo-Addo has urged heads of ECOWAS member states to within the shortest possible time find ways of addressing the coup situation in Burkina Faso. He revealed that there is the need to find solutions to restore constitutional order in the country.

Condemning the military takeover in Burkina Faso, President Akufo-Addo who doubles as the Chair for ECOWAS revealed that the growing insecurity in the sub-region poses a threat to peace and stability.

Speaking at a virtual summit of ECOWAS member states on the Burkina Faso political unrest held today, January 28, 2022, the President called for a strong stance against the overthrow of democratically elected governments.

“We should not relent in our collective duty and obligations to ensure peaceful, democratic, just, stable and prosperous community. I urge you to examine critically, this rising phenomenon in our region so that we take the necessary decisions and meet the aspirations and expectations of our people… This situation is inimical to the much-needed economic and social development of the region. I have conveyed this meeting with the hope to address the urgent situation in Burkina Faso and find solutions to restore constitutional order to Burkina Faso and stabilise the Region at large”.
President Akufo-Addo

President Akufo-Addo intimated that the resurgence of coup de’ tats in the region is in direct violation of ECOWAS’s democratic tenet. He iterated that the move represents a threat to peace, security and stability in West Africa.

It will be recalled that following Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba’s coup on Monday, the military seized power ousting the country’s democratically elected president after mutinous soldiers stormed his home.

President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, had been leading Burkina Faso, since 2015 amid growing public criticism over his government’s failure to stem militant attacks that have destabilized broad aspects of Burkina Faso, displaced 1.4 million people and caused 2,000 deaths last year alone.

Damiba’s first speech after coup

A day prior to ECOWAS extraordinary virtual meeting, Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Damiba promised a return to the normal constitutional order “when the conditions are right”. He noted that he will meet representatives of various sections of society to agree on a roadmap for reform. Lt Damiba emphasized that Burkina Faso needed international partners “more than ever”, following condemnation of the coup.

“When the conditions are right, according to the deadline that our people will define in all sovereignty, I commit to a return to a normal constitutional order… I call on the international community to support our country so it can exit this crisis as soon as possible”.
Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Damiba

Lt. Damiba did not specify which part of the international community he wanted support from although France has thousands of troops in West Africa helping its former colonies including countries such as Burkina Faso to tackle jihadist forces.

Nonetheless, French presence is proving increasingly unpopular in the region and President Emmanuel Macron has started to reduce French troop numbers.

Burkina Faso is the third West African country to witness a military takeover in the past year. Guinea and Mali have both had sanctions imposed on them by ECOWAS to force them to return to constitutional order.