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Burkina Faso: ECOWAS worried over 3 years transition arrangement by military junta

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2 years ago

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The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has expressed worry over the three-year transition period announced by the leader of the military junta in Burkina Faso, Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba.

Slamreportafrica reported two weeks ago that Burkina Faso’s ruling junta, the Patriotic Movement for Safeguard and Restoration (MPSR), had signed a charter setting a three-year transition period before the country held elections.

A ministerial delegation met with Burkina Faso’s Lieutenant Colonel Damiba on Thursday to communicate concerns of the regional bloc.

“ECOWAS is a bit worried about the duration of the transition. But the authorities have explained the reasons behind the decision of these 36 months,” including “the security situation” in the country, said Ghana’s foreign minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, who led a delegation to Ouagadougou on Thursday.
Burkina Faso has been caught up in a spiral of violence since 2015 attributed to jihadist movements, affiliated to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group, which have killed more than 2,000 people in the country and forced at least 1.7 million to flee their homes.

“ECOWAS is asking that the transitional government provide a clear roadmap of its activities for the next 36 months,” she added.

“The problems affecting Burkina Faso are also our problems; it is not at this time when Burkina has needs that we will abandon it. Yes, Burkina is suspended from ECOWAS but it is still a member and we will continue to work together to bring normality to this great country,” the Ghanaian minister said.

The coup that brought the current junta into power in Burkina Faso was launched on 23 January 2022 when gunfire erupted in front of the presidential residence in the Burkinabé capital Ouagadougou and several military barracks around the city.

The delegation also met the overthrown president, Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, who has been under house arrest since the putsch and whose release it is calling for. We had a good discussion, he is in good spirits,” said Shirley Ayorkor.

Burkina Faso is a member of the United Nations, La Francophonie and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. It is currently suspended from ECOWAS and the African Union.

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Politics

Digital Rights: Policy enthusiast, Jere, advocates self-regulation as alternative to govt regulations

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13 hours ago

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April 24, 2024

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Copperbelt businessman and mining policy advocate, George Jere, has highlighted the importance of self-regulation in the expanding digital media landscape, countering arguments against freedom of speech.

In an exclusive discussion with Zambia Monitor, Jere challenged notions surrounding media freedom and digital rights, emphasizing the indispensable role of effective media instruments in national progress.

“Digital media’s unrestricted nature facilitates publishing, although tracking those behind it poses challenges for government intervention,” Jere remarked, advocating for self-regulation as a preferable alternative to government restrictions.

He stressed the need for a balanced approach between private and public media operations, criticizing the high level of censorship in public media channels.

“While cyber security laws fall short, self-regulation offers a more effective solution for managing digital platforms,” Jere asserted, expressing disappointment in the government’s failure to enact comprehensive media reforms.

Jere cautioned against subjective regulations aimed at suppressing dissenting voices, urging authorities to reconsider laws through inclusive consultations.

“Media freedom should extend to all, including rural communities, chiefs, and church leaders, across traditional, social, and digital platforms,” he emphasized.

Reflecting on public media governance, Jere noted its tendency to align with ruling interests, calling for fairer recruitment processes for media executives to ensure unbiased coverage.

Regarding proposed taxes on online livestream programmes, Jere questioned the necessity of double taxation, suggesting negotiation of percentage-based levies to support domestic resource mobilization without unfairly targeting individuals.

As debates on freedom of speech and media regulation continue, Jere remained steadfast in advocating for inclusive, balanced media practices to foster national development.

This story is sponsored content from Zambia Monitor’s Project Aliyense.

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Politics

African leaders seek change in fight against terrorism at Nigerian summit   

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2 days ago

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April 22, 2024

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At a security summit in Nigeria, African leaders have called for a revamp of institutions that fight violent extremism on the continent.

The leaders also began to push to set up a standing military force and give the government more power over efforts to keep the peace.

Attacks on citizens and the military have been happening all the time in Africa, including in the Sahel, Somalia, and Mozambique, by groups with ties to Islamic State and al-Qaeda.

President Faure Gnassingbe of Togo said that coastal states like Togo were facing more threats, even though people were being attacked the most in the Sahel.

“I say this with prudence and regret, but I think the institutions that have been in place for several decades are no longer able to respond to the security situation that we face,” said Gnassingbe.

Moussa Faki, chairman of the African Union Commission, reported that between 2017 and 2021, there were four attacks and 18 deaths a day in Africa. Last year, there were eight attacks and 44 deaths a day.

The AU chief added that last year 7,000 citizens and 4,000 military members were killed stressing that the situation was being used in some countries as a reason for military coups. The Deputy Secretary-General of the UN, Amina Mohammed, said that half of all terrorist deaths happened in the Sahel.

Until a military coup in July that called for France to leave, Niger was the West’s last major ally in the central Sahel area south of the Sahara Desert. In July, France pulled out 1,500 troops from Niger.

Faki said that Africa needed more money to help stop the spread of terrorism. Bola Tinubu, the president of Nigeria, said that more needed to be done to stop the spread of small guns and weapons. He also called for the creation of a regional standby force whose job it would be to fight terrorism.

“I am mindful of the funding, legal and logistical complexities that face the proper establishment of such a force. Such a force can stand as a strong deterrent to large scale and protracted terrorist operations and the capture, occupation or disruption of strategic land and resources,” Tinubu said.

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