Burkina Faso Extends Transition to Civilian Rule to 2029
Burkina Faso Extends Transition to Civilian Rule to 2029
The Facts
Burkina Faso's leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, has announced that the incumbent military government will extend its rule for another five years. Trarore had previously pledged to restore civilian government July 1 of this year.The Patriotic Movement for Safeguard and Restoration's (PMSR) coup in 2022 was motivated by the challenges posed by Islamist militant groups affiliated with Isis and al-Qaeda, who control around half of the country's territory.
Burkina Faso's leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, has announced that the incumbent military government will extend its rule for another five years. Traoré had previously pledged to restore civilian government July 1 of this year.Under the charter, assembly seats for the traditional political parties will not be assigned via quota. Instead, deputies will be selected based on their "patriotism."
The Spin
Burkina Faso must restore civilian rule as soon as it's feasible to do so. Not only are human rights deteriorating rapidly in the Sahel, but the military government has not made its promised progress toward ending Islamist violence. Instead, Burkina Faso has let the Trojan horse of Russian influence seep into the region and further threaten human rights. A dictatorship will only hurt the country in the long run.
This situation is only possible due to the West's absolute impotence in the face of a devastating insurgency that has brought Burkina Faso to its knees. While it once cooperated with the West, Burkina Faso's failures in dealing with terrorism have led the country to turn to Russia to fill the security vacuum. The West African nation must defeat terrorism before democracy can be restored.
