Burkina Faso’s military rulers have extended their tenure for an additional five years following national talks that concluded with an agreement to prolong the transition back to democracy. The newly approved charter states that the transition period will now last 60 months from July 2, 2024.
Colonel Moussa Diallo, the chairman of the organising committee for the national dialogue process, announced the extension after the talks on Saturday. The new charter was signed during a two-day national dialogue aimed at charting a path back to civilian rule in a country beset by political violence.
The military, which seized power in a 2022 coup, had initially promised to hold elections in July 2024 to restore civilian governance. However, they had also emphasized that security considerations would take precedence. The charter notes that elections may be organized before the 60-month deadline if the security situation improves.
Significantly, the new charter permits the current military leader, Ibrahim Traore, to run for president in the forthcoming elections. Additionally, it eliminates the use of quotas to assign assembly seats to members of traditional parties, instead prioritizing “patriotism” as the criterion for selecting deputies.
The dialogue in Ouagadougou involved civil society representatives, security and defense forces, and lawmakers from the transitional assembly. However, many political parties boycotted the talks.
This extension is likely to raise concerns about democratic backsliding in Western and Central Africa, a region that has experienced eight coups over the past four years. Burkina Faso, in particular, has struggled with an armed rebellion since 2015, which has resulted in thousands of deaths and millions of displaced persons. The military government, which took power in September 2022, cited security challenges as the reason for its takeover.
Since coming to power, the government has severed military ties with its former colonial ruler, France, and has turned to Russia for security support. Currently, about half of Burkina Faso’s territory remains outside of government control.
