According to an agreement made between his predecessor, Col. Paul Henri-Damiba, and the regional bloc of west Africa, ECOWAS, Burkina Faso will return to civilian rule within the next 24 months.
This is according to a statement issued by the new head of the military junta, Ibrahim Traore, on Tuesday evening.
“Burkina Faso will respect the dynamic compromise agreed with ECOWAS in July to restore constitutional order in 24 months,” read the statement released by Traore.
The west African country, Traore continues, would uphold all of its international responsibilities, particularly those relating to the protection of human rights.
The junta’s new leader expressed these views after speaking with a delegation from ECOWAS that had been sent to speak with him as a result of last week’s military coup, which saw Damiba removed from office and Traore take over as head.
Seven years of militants violence in Burkina Faso have resulted in thousands of deaths, the eviction of almost two million people from their homes, and the loss of government control over more than a third of the nation.
On January 24, Damiba overthrew the elected president, Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, as a result of unrest within the beleaguered armed forces.
Damiba declared himself the country’s interim president and promised to put security first. However, after a brief respite, the attacks resumed, killing hundreds of people.
On Friday, Traoré made a dramatic entrance at the head of a faction of unhappy junior officers who claimed Damiba had been removed for failing to put an end to the insurgency as well.
According to religious and community groups who mediated in Damiba’s standoff with Traore, Damiba imposed “seven criteria” for resigning.
These included assurances of his and his military allies’ safety as well as the respect of a promise he had made to ECOWAS on the return to civilian authority within two years.
