Agency Report

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has suspended Burkina Faso from its governing bodies, following the coup d’etat carried out late Sunday that toppled the democratically elected government of President Roch Kabore.

The Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government made the resolution on Friday at the end of its virtual Extraordinary Summit on the situation in Burkina Faso.

The resolutions of the ECOWAS Presidents is contained in a communique issued at the end of the virtual summit made available to journalists on Friday.

The ECOWAS Presidents, who strongly condemned the coup d’état, frowned at the resurgence of coup d’états in Member Countries, adding that ECOWAS will no longer tolerate acceding power through unconstitutional means.

The communique stated that “the Authority, during deliberations, strongly condemns the coup d’etat and expresses deep concern over the resurgence of military coups in the region.

“Following the coup d’etats in Mali on Aug. 18, 2020, in Guinea on Sept. 5, 2021, and in Burkina Faso on 24 January 2022.

“The coup d’etat in Burkina Faso was organised by obtaining the resignation of President Roch Marc Christian Kabore under duress.

“The Authority reaffirms its resolute commitment to upholding the zero tolerance for acceding power through unconstitutional means as enshrined in the 2001 ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good governance and decides as follows:

“The leadership demands the immediate release and protection of President Roch Marc Christian KABORE and all the other political detainees;

“They also decided to suspend Burkina Faso from all ECOWAS Institutions; Demands the quick restoration of constitutional order by the militaries and urges them to remain republican by focusing on the role of safeguarding the territorial integrity of the country.