Burkina Faso’s military junta on Thursday said its priority was to restore security in the country before handing it over to a civilian government, reported Reuters.
The statement comes after the West African regional union ECOWAS called out the military junta to relinquish power in less than three years.
Burkina Faso’s military seized power in January this year, ousting President Roch Kabore in a coup. Kabore was slammed for his ineffectiveness to control the mounting jihadist violence that continues to plague the country. Last month, coup leader Damiba was declared the president of the West African nation.
“To establish a viable democracy the first thing we need to do is to clear the territory (of Islamists), to allow peace to return,” junta spokesman Lionel Bilgo told a news conference in Ouagadougou.
The junta had previously said it was aiming for a 36-month transition to democracy.
But, last week, ECOWAS leaders demanded that the transition period should be shortened to “a more acceptable timeline.”
Burkina Faso’s Foreign Minister Olivia Rouamba, who was appointed by the junta, said 36 months was “realistic” given the stated objective to restore security.
The junta also said that discussions were underway about allowing ousted President Kabore, who has been under house arrest since the coup, to return to his residence. ECOWAS had demanded his immediate and unconditional release.
“Talks … are ongoing, with a view to allowing the former president to return to a family residence of his choice whilst guaranteeing his security,” the junta said in a statement.
The statement didn’t mention who was taking part in the discussions.
The West African bloc ECOWAS has imposed sanctions on Mali and Guinea, whose military rulers are yet to return to constitutional order.
Burkina Faso’s military government has so far been spared but might soon face such sanctions if it makes no concessions.
