Politics

Burkina Faso’s anti-France posture continues as it expels ambassador, Luc Hallade

Published

2 years ago

January 2, 2023

Burkina Faso has continued its anti-French positions as its ruling military junta has expelled France’s ambassador, authorities said Monday.

The spokesperson of the junta, Jean-Emmanuel Ouedraogo confirmed to the Associated Press that Ambassador Luc Hallade was asked to leave, but provided no further details. The French embassy refused to comment.

Hallade’s expulsion comes less than two weeks after the military junta two weeks ago declared the United Nations coordinator in the country, Italian Barbara Manzi, “persona non grata” and “asked to leave the country.”

Anti-French sentiment has been growing in the former French colony since the new junta leader, Capt. Ibrahim Traore, seized power in September. Traore has been more overtly open to working with other countries, notably Russia.

Burkina’s neighbour Mali, also caught up in a serious security crisis, expelled Olivier Salgado, the spokesman for the United Nations Mission in Mali (Minusma), for publishing “unacceptable information” the day after the arrest of 49 Ivorian soldiers in Bamako.

An associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, a defense and security think tank reacting to the development, Samuel Ramani said “this will clearly sharpen polarization among (West African countries), between the states that are opposed to the junta’s policies and those that want to transition towards democracy.”

The West Africa sub-region has witnessed a series of military coups in recent years. In Mali, Guinea, and Burkina Faso since August 2020.

Politics

Mozambique’s top court affirms governing party’s victory in recent election

Published

1 day ago

December 26, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

The highest court in Mozambique affirmed Monday that the incumbent Frelimo party won the October election, sparking widespread demonstrations from opposition parties who claim the vote was manipulated.

Fears of fresh bloodshed have been raised in the nation already shaken by weeks of fatal protests after Mozambique’s top electoral court mostly confirmed the results of the country’s contentious October elections, reinforcing the Frelimo party’s decades-long hold on power.

The final decision on the election process rests with the Constitutional Council. Mozambique, a nation of over 35 million people in Southern Africa that Frelimo has ruled since 1975, is expected to see more protests in response to its judgement.

Mozambique operates a framework of a semi-presidential representative democratic republic in a multi-party system. The president of Mozambique serves as both the head of state and the head of government.

The government exercises executive power. The administration and the Assembly of the Republic have the authority to enact laws.

Politics

Alliance of Sahel States opposes ECOWAS disengagement schedule

Published

1 day ago

December 26, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) withdrawal timeline has been rejected by the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), which is made up of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.

The AES claims that the ECOWAS is attempting to destabilise their newly formed organisation.

During a meeting last week in Abuja, Nigeria, the regional organisation announced a six-month withdrawal period to give the three nations time to change their minds after their official departure date at the end of January 2025.

However, this decision is “nothing more than yet another attempt by the French and its auxiliaries to continue planning and carrying out destabilising actions against the AES,” according to the heads of state of the AES.

“This unilateral decision is not binding on the ESA countries,” the statement continues. Before the conference, they stated that their choice to leave the organisation was “irreversible.”

According to the president of the Ecowas Commission, this will be a “transition period” that ends on “July 29, 2025” to “keep the doors of Ecowas open.”

The three nations accused the bloc of neglecting to assist them in resolving their domestic security challenges and of imposing “inhumane and irresponsible” sanctions related to the coup.

The three nations that were involved in the coup have mostly rejected ECOWAS’ attempts to undo their withdrawal. They are creating their alliance and have begun thinking about how to issue travel passports independently of ECOWAS.

It is anticipated that they will finish giving their one-year notice of departure in January.

Visa-free travel to other ECOWAS members is a significant perk of membership, and it is unclear how this would alter after the three nations exit the group.