OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AP) — Burkina Faso’s military leader will remain in power for an additional five years, according to a new national charter adopted after consultations that excluded major political parties.
The charter, signed Saturday, May 25, extends the transitional period to 60 months from July 2, 2024. Colonel Moussa Diallo, chair of the national dialogue committee, announced the extension after talks involving civil society, security forces, and transitional lawmakers.
The move comes despite the junta’s initial pledge to hold elections and restore civilian rule by July 2024. The military seized power in September 2022, ousting another military regime that had itself staged a coup eight months earlier. Both coups cited the government’s failure to address Islamist extremist violence plaguing the country.
Captain Ibrahim Traore, named transitional president under the new charter, will be eligible to run in elections after the five-year extension. However, the charter leaves open the possibility of earlier elections.
The decision to extend military rule adds Burkina Faso to a growing list of West African nations under military control. The junta claims the extension is necessary to address the ongoing security crisis. Extremist attacks linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group have devastated the country, displacing millions and leaving many on the brink of starvation.
Frustrated by limited progress under previous governments despite Western military assistance, the junta severed ties with former colonial power France and sought security support from Russia.
