On Saturday 1 October the EU denounced the coup by which Burkinabe rebel officers removed from power the President of the transition in Burkina Faso, Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, himself the perpetrator of the military coup of 24 January that overthrew the democratically elected President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré (see EUROPE 12877/13).
“The European Union denounces the new coup de force in Burkina Faso, which jeopardises the efforts made over several months, in particular by ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States), to supervise the transition”, stressed the European External Action Service in a statement on behalf of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell.
On Sunday, Mr Damiba agreed to resign, responding to the injunction of Captain Ibrahim Traoré, the new strongman at the head of the transition, supported by hundreds of demonstrators in Ouagadougou.
“The European Union calls for the commitments made, which were the basis of the agreement reached with ECOWAS on 3 July, to be respected in order for Burkina Faso to be supported towards a return to constitutional order by 1 July 2024 at the latest”, the statement continues.
The EU also deplores “the deterioration of the security and humanitarian situation in the country and stands by the people of Burkina Faso in these difficult times”. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)