For the junta in power led by Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, the priority is to “secure the territory”.
Le Monde with AFP
The Government of Burkina Faso from a coup stated on Monday, April 25th that it did not intend to shorten the three-year transition period before a return of civilians to power, like its West African neighbors asked him.
“Discussions are continuing, Burkina Faso is in a very good provision to hear the remarks of the Economic Community of West African States [ECOWAS],” said Lionel Bilgo, Government Spokesman At AFP, adding: “On the other hand, we will not sacrifice our efforts to bring peace back to Burkina Faso running behind an intangible calendar and the delay does not take into account the realities of the terrain.”
In late March, a summit of ECOWAS gathered in Accra had given Burkina Faso until April 25 to present a “timeline [calendar] acceptable for the transition” under penalty of “economic and financial” sanctions.
Some 1.8 million displaced
“Are we able today, while we can not make 150 kilometers on our territory” because of the presence of jihadist groups, “organizing elections in peace and the tranquility? Why endanger human lives while our main priority is to secure Burkinabe territory? “He interrogated.
According to him, “Burkina Faso has always explained to the ECOWAS that this calendar, which has been set up consensually, is a reflected timetable and that takes into account the major challenge we have and that is the recovery. of security “. “If we come to do it below the three years, we will organize elections,” he added.
In a speech at the nation in early April, Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba who took power by force on January 24, had indicated that the three-year transition period before a return to order Constitutional was decided “consensually by all the living forces of our nation” and taking into account a reality that is the only real concern of the Burkinabé people currently, namely the security situation “. “Faster we will be able to curb this situation and faster we will start a return to a normal constitutional order,” he added.