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West Africa: Ecowas Urges Members To Continue Engagement With Breakaway States 'Until Further Notice'
Ecowas, 29 January 2025
The withdrawal of Burkina Faso, the Republic of Mali and the Republic of Nigerfrom ECOWAS has become effective today, 29th January 2025. However, inthe spirit of regional… Read more »
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Africa: What France Loses By Closing Its Military Bases in Africa
The Conversation Africa, 26 January 2025
Senegalese president Bassirou Diomaye Faye announced on 31 December 2024 that all foreign military bases in his country would close by 2025. On the same day, the Ivorian president… Read more »
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Africa: Burkina Faso President Ibrahim Traoré's Warm Reception in Ghana - a Shift in Africa's Politics?
Ghanaian Times, 13 January 2025
Recent developments in Ghana during the inauguration of President John Mahama have raised more questions than answers about the current state of affairs on the African continent. Read more »
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Burkina Faso: Burkina Faso Amnesty Law Is 'Risky Decision' Say Analysts
VOA, 8 January 2025
In late December, Burkina Faso passed a law granting amnesty to soldiers accused of plotting a failed 2015 military coup. Analysts say current leader Ibrahim Traore, who took power… Read more »
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Burkina Faso: Burkina Faso Military Regime Fires PM, Dissolves Government
RFI, 7 December 2024
Burkina Faso's ruling junta has dismissed interim Prime Minister Apollinaire Joachim Kyelem de Tambela and dissolved the government. No explanation was given for the move. Read more »
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West Africa: Burkina Faso's Ibrahim Traoré Is Making Waves in West Africa. Who Is He?
The Conversation Africa, 20 February 2025
Captain Ibrahim Traoré is the interim leader of Burkina Faso, having taken over the position following a coup which he led against Lieutenant Colonel Paul Henri Damiba in… Read more »
Who Is Burkina Faso’s Captain Ibrahim Traoré?
Captain Ibrahim Traoré, the interim leader of Burkina Faso, rose to power in September 2022 after leading a coup against Lieutenant Colonel Paul Henri Damiba, who himself had overthrown former president Roch Marc Kaboré earlier that year.
Since taking power, he has been praised for his anti-colonial rhetoric, particularly his criticism of France, which led to the withdrawal of French forces from the country. Traoré has also played a key role in forming the Alliance of Sahel States with Mali and Niger, signaling a shift away from the regional bloc ECOWAS. He has mobilized civilian militias and redirected resources to combat violent extremism, earning comparisons to the revolutionary leader Thomas Sankara.
However, his rule has been marked by increased violence, alleged coup attempts, and crackdowns on dissent, raising concerns about stability and human rights. A total of 3,059 violent incidents have been linked to militant Islamist groups since he came to power in October 2022. The number of deaths linked to militant Islamist violence nearly doubled from 3,621 in 2022 to 6,389 in 2024.
InFocus
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The military leaders of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have reaffirmed their decision to withdraw from the West Africa regional bloc, ECOWAS. despite the body's offer of a six-month transitional period during its recent summit in Abuja. The three countries had made known their plan to leave the bloc in January 2024 following military takeovers
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Burkina Faso's military government has announced that it will extend junta rule for an additional five years. This decision comes after the signing of a new charter following national consultations held in the capital city of Ouagadougou. In addition, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, the country's ruler, will also have the opportunity to participate in the next presidential election.
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In a speech following the talks, Colonel Moussa Diallo, the chairman of the organizing committee of the -
The Sahel countries announced their exit plans in 2024 after they accused the body of being influenced by former colonial powers. The military governments formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), and announced plans to create a joint military force of 5,000 troops to "fight terrorism".
The three nations have also introduced a shared passport system to "allow free movement between their territories".Ecowas has, however,
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France and Burkina Faso have officially marked the end of French military operations in the West African nation, the Burkinabe armed forces said. A flag-lowering ceremony at the French special forces' camp took place on February 18, 2023.
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