Commentary

Burkina Faso Coup and ECOWAS response to emerging crisis

By Abraham Donkor

Burkina Faso until January 24 was enjoying stable a political climate when a military junta who identify themselves as Patriotic Movement for Safeguard and Restoration toppled the government, suspended the Constitution and dissolved Parliament. The sitting President Marc Kabore has since been under house arrest in a Presidential villa. 41-year-old Lt Colonel Paul Henri Damiba who heads the junta announced on State television that the coup was a result of the elected government’s inability to tackle jihadists who have over the years caused unrest in the country, as well as the region.
He further stated that Mr Kabore and other officials of his government are being treated with dignity. The recent coup makes it number six in the sub-region within two years.

As the regional bloc, ECOWAS tries to tackle issues bedeviling it, another coup happens in Burkina Faso which has witnessed a number of terrorist activities within its jurisdiction. The sub-region it must be noted is grappling with piracy issues, economic downturn, and currently fighting the COVID 19 pandemic which has seen governments pump in more resources to safeguard the well-being of their people. These notwithstanding the penchant for deposing governments in West Africa give serious cause for concern.

President Akufo-Addo who is Chairperson of ECOWAS at an extraordinary Virtual Summit to analyse the situation in Burkina Faso noted that “the deteriorating political situation in our region should be a matter of concern to us all.

No country is isolated from its occurrence in the community. And we have to act to nib it in the bud.

“Although coup plotters may have reasonable justifications, their actions to a large extent have had negative consequences on foreign direct investment, investor confidence, social contracts, diplomatic relations, and more importantly on the socio-economic aspirations of the citizenry.

In his first post-coup speech, Lt Colonel Paul Henri Damiba made the following assertion “I understand the legitimate doubts raised by this rapture in the functioning of the State,but I want to assure all friends of Burkina Faso that the country will continue to respect it’s international commitments, especially in terms of respect for human rights.Lt Damiba last year published a book titled ‘West Africa and terrorism: Uncertain responses”: in which he lamented the lack of resources to properly quell terrorism. He further went on to state that”Constitutional normality will only return if the conditions demanded by the Burkinabe people are accepted”Does this mean that if the demands takes five or more years to be met, the junta will continue to be at the helm? ECOWAS and the international community have a huge task in helping to restore democracy.

The tendency for the junta to stay in power for long looking at the situation in Guinea where the Doumboya led junta said it needed five years to undertake a transition. One thing worth noting is the fact that many citizens these countries fully endorse the coups, stating various reasons.In this vein, governments in the sub-region must critically revise their notes, especially how they engage the masses and how they determine what best suits them in development. They must activate their listening as they do during campaign periods,and not force the people against their will.

A situation which can be a recipe for such drawbacks to democratic gains chalked up.The sub-regional bloc after the virtual summit and usual condemnation sent a delegation of the Chiefs of Defence of member states to assess the situation which is to be followed by a visit by a team of foreign affairs Ministers who are all to report to a meeting of the Heads of State for a definitive decision to be taken on how to proceed. President Akufo-Addo asked his colleagues ” to critically examine the rising phenomenon in our region so that we can make the necessary decisions that meet the aspirations and expectations of the citizenry. The rest of the world is watching us to be firm on this issue”The matter at hand is a dicey one. It is incumbent on ECOWAS to ensure that decisions arrived at do not negatively impact the citizens. They must be prioritized such that their rights, liberties, and contributions to development aspirations are not compromised on any alter of gain.We keep our fingers crossed and observe with keen interest.