Burkina Faso Extends Military Rule by Five Years

Emmanuel EjioforMay 26, 20241 Mins read397

Burkina Faso's Head of State, Capt. Ibrahim Traoré.

Burkina Faso’s ruling military junta will stay in power for five years.

This announcement came after the national talks at the capital, Ouagadougou, on Saturday that proposed a 60-month extension of junta rule from July, according to a new charter.

Nevertheless, the national talks were boycotted by most political parties.

The military, which took over the country in a 2022 coup, initially promised elections in July 2024 but made the security concerns their priority.

The new charter, signed by military leader Ibrahim Traore, sets the transition period at 60 months starting from July 2.

“The elections marking the end of the transition may be organised before this deadline if the security situation permits,” the charter added.

Furthermore, the charter permits Traore to run for president in future elections.

Burkina Faso has been fighting against terrorists for years. In 2023, the country witnessed a severe rise in deadly attacks, with over 8,000 people killed, according to the U.S.-based crisis-monitoring group ACLED.

OVERNIGHT: Burkina Faso extended military rule by 5 years, in national talks boycotted by most political parties.

Coup leader Captain Ibrahim Traoré, 36 – who has ruled since 2022 – becomes President and will still be eligible to run in elections in 2029 pic.twitter.com/EjqU5dyhNT

— Larry Madowo (@LarryMadowo) May 26, 2024