Captain Ibrahim Traore, the junta leader in Burkina Faso has appointed Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouedraogo as the country’s new prime minister on Saturday, a day after dissolving the government.
Ouedraogo, a journalist and former communications minister, replaces Apollinaire Joachim Kyelem de Tambela, who had led three military-appointed governments since Traore’s rise to power in September 2022. No official reason was given for Tambela’s dismissal.
Ouedraogo, a close ally of Traore, has served as editor-in-chief and director of state television and was the government’s spokesperson after Traore’s coup. His appointment reflects continuity in the regime’s leadership despite ongoing instability.
Burkina Faso has faced mounting turmoil since January 2022, when a military coup ousted then-President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré. The leader of that coup, Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, was overthrown by Traore just eight months later.
Under Traore, Burkina Faso has joined Mali and Niger in turning away from former colonial power France, aligning instead with Russia. The three junta-led nations have formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) and are grappling with a jihadist insurgency that began in northern Mali in 2012.
The ongoing violence has claimed approximately 26,000 lives and displaced around two million people in Burkina Faso alone, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED).
Ouedraogo’s appointment comes at a time of immense pressure for Traore’s regime. The junta faces escalating attacks, a humanitarian crisis, and international scrutiny over its pivot toward Russian support. Whether the leadership shake-up will bring stability remains uncertain.
