ECOWAS demands release of President Kabore; calls for restoration of constitutional order

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is demanding the immediate release and protection of President Roch Marc Christian KABORE of Burkina Faso and all the other political detainees.

The West African states have also decided to suspend Burkina Faso from all ECOWAS Institutions and is further demanding the immediate restoration of constitutional order by the militaries, urging them to remain republican by focusing on the role of safeguarding the territorial integrity of the country.

ECOWAS arrived at this decision at its Extraordinary Session by Videoconference on 28th January 2022, under the chairmanship of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of of Ghana and Chairperson of the ECOWAS Authority.

The military in Burkina Faso announced that it had seized power on state television on Monday. An army officer cited the deteriorating security situation for the military takeover.

Burkina Faso is the third West African country to witness a military takeover in recent years. Guinea and Mali have had sanctions imposed on them by ECOWAS to press them to return to constitutional order.

Below is the full ECOWAS communique on Burkina Faso

EXTRAORDINARY SUMMIT OF THE ECOWAS AUTHORITY OF HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT ON THE POLITICAL SITUATION IN BURKINA FASO

1. The Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) convened an Extraordinary Session by Videoconference on 28th January 2022, under the chairmanship of H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana and Chairperson of the ECOWAS Authority.

2. The Extraordinary Session was convened to review political developments in Burkina Faso in the wake of the coup d’Etat that toppled the democratically elected government of H.E. Roch Marc Christian Kabore on 24th January 2022.

3. Present at the Summit were the under-listed ECOWAS Heads of State and Government or their duly mandated representatives:

● H. E. Patrice TALON, President of the Republic of Benin;

● H.E. Jose Maria NEVES, President of the Republic of Cabo Verde;

● H.E. Alassane OUATTARA, President of the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire;

● H.E. Adama BARROW, President of the Republic of The Gambia;

● H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO, President of the Republic of Ghana;

● H. E. Umaro Sissoco EMBALO, President of the Republic of Guinea Bissau;

● H.E. George Manneh WEAH, President of the Republic of Liberia;

● H.E. Muhammadu BUHARI, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria;

● H.E. Mohamed BAZOUM, President of the Republic of Niger;

● H.E. Julius Maada BIO, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone;

● H.E. Faure Essozimna GNASSINGBE, President of the Togolese Republic;

● H. E. Sidiki KABA, Minister of Armed Forces of the Republic of Senegal.

4. The Session was also attended by:

● H.E. Moussa Faki, Chairperson of the African Union Commission;

● H.E. Jean-Claude Kassi BROU, President of the ECOWAS Commission;

● H.E. Mahamat Saleh ANNADIF, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS); and

● H.E. Abdoulaye Diop, President of West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU).

5. The Heads of State and Government took note of the Memorandum on the political situation in Burkina Faso presented by H.E. Jean-Claude Kassi BROU, President of the ECOWAS Commission. The Authority commended the quality of the report and took note of the recommendations contained therein.

6. 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 18 August 2020, in Guinea on 5 September 2021 and in Burkina Faso on 24 January 2022. The coup d’Etat in Burkina Faso was achieved by obtaining the resignation of President Roch Marc Christian Kabore under duress.

7. 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:

a. Demands the immediate release and protection of President Roch Marc Christian KABORE and all the other political detainees;

b. Decides to suspend Burkina Faso from all ECOWAS Institutions;

c. Demands the immediate 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;

d. Instructs the Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff (CCDS) to forthwith deploy a delegation to Burkina Faso to hold consultations with the military leaders to carry out an assessment of the security situation in the country and submit a report to be reviewed by the Authority of Heads of State and Government;

e. Further instructs the Commission to facilitate the deployment of a joint ECOWAS Ministerial Mission to Burkina Faso, led by the Chairperson of Council of Ministers on 31st January, 2022 to assess the political situation and submit their report to the Authority of Heads of State and Government. The United Nations Special Representative to West Africa and Sahel and the African Union will participate in this mission.

8. The Authority was also informed on the recent developments on the political situations in the Republic of Mali and the Republic of Guinea.

9. The Authority requests the Commission to finalize the on-going revision of the Protocol on Democracy and good governance.

10. The Authority decides to convene an Extraordinary Summit on 3rd February, 2022 in Accra, Ghana to re-examine the situation in Burkina, Guinea and Mali.

11. The Heads of State and Government express their deep gratitude to H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO, President of the Republic of Ghana and Chairperson of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, for his leadership in ensuring the success of the Summit.