MEPs expressed their deep concern in Strasbourg on the evening of Tuesday 4 October about the second military coup in 8 months in Burkina Faso - concern both about the situation in the country and about the EU’s inability to do anything to contain a phenomenon that is spreading in the strategic Sahel region, to the advantage of the Russian presence.
The debate on the coup, which saw the young leader of the coup, Captain Ibrahim Traoré overthrow the President of the Transition, Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, had been added to the agenda of the European Parliament plenary session at the request of the ECR and S&D groups, which wanted to hear from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell.
On behalf of Mr Borrell, the Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, deplored this ‘coup within the coup’ and reiterated the EU’s continued support “to the people of Burkina Faso” (see EUROPE 13034/13).
Recalling that before the coup, the EU was ready to boost cooperation with the country, including in the field of defence and security, she expressed her hope that “the talks underway between ECOWAS and the new Burkinabe authorities” could lead to the fulfilment of commitments regarding a return to constitutional order. And went on to say: “It will take time to assess whether Burkina Faso and the European Union can continue as partners”. She also warned against the Wagner group option, saying that “these mercenaries are objectively ineffective in the fight against terrorism in the Sahel”.
On behalf of the EPP, the Hungarian MEP, György Hölvenényi, called for EU coordination with international and local partners, saying the EU should take note of the little progress made since February, when the previous debate was held after the first coup (see EUROPE 12893/8). “The case of Burkina Faso is not unique. This is the 7th military coup since 2020 in West Africa. The whole sub-Saharan region is destabilised and religious fundamentalism is on the rise. We must recognise that the EU cannot solve the problem alone”, he said.
“More than a third of my country is now under the control of Islamists. The secular country I knew no longer exists”, lamented Assita Kanko (ECR, Belgian), of Burkinabe origin. She spoke of “a very good cooperation with France and today a new colonisation”.
Hannes Heide (S&D, Austrian) spoke of “Putin’s war against European values in Ukraine, but also in Africa”. Denouncing “the massive demonstrations and abuses against French businesses before the coup”, he said it was alarming that confidence in Europe had declined. He said that “Russian influence will only fail if people there see that Europe is a trustworthy partner and allows for a better life”.
French MEP Martine Loiseau (Renew Europe) spoke out “against the unacceptable violence against the French embassy, without any reaction from the de facto authorities”, against the Wagner group and against the “disinformation” that the EU had not sufficiently countered.
Her compatriot François Alfonsi (Greens/EFA) was similarly virulent against Russia, calling on the European External Action Service (EEAS) to “coordinate an initiative and the Member States to provide means of action, including military means, which are not reduced to those of the French army alone”.
“Two coups in Mali, two coups in Burkina Faso: it is really too easy to say that everything is the fault of the Russians. We should explain why this Russian propaganda, which is real, is so successful”, replied Marc Botenga (The Left, Belgian), evoking “deep popular anger” following the military intervention in Libya “which destabilised the whole region” and the failure of European operations “from Barkhane to Takuba”, an anger “at the impact of the CFA franc and European neo-colonialism”. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)