The Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) has suspended Burkina Faso from its membership.
It follows a coup d’Etat that toppled the democratically elected government of Roch Marc Christian Kabore on 24th January 2022.
A communique issued after an Extraordinary Session by video conference of the Authority of Heads of State and Government under the Chairmanship of President Akufo-Addo today, Friday, January 28, 2022, demanded the immediate release and protection of President Roch Marc Christian Kabore and all the other political detainees.
They have also decided to suspend Burkina Faso from all ECOWAS Institutions including a demand for the immediate restoration of constitutional order by the military and urged them to remain republican by focusing on the role of safeguarding the territorial integrity of the country.
The Authority have also instructed the Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff (CCDS) to forthwith deploy a delegation to Burkina Faso to hold consultations with the military leaders to carry out an assessment of the security situation in the country and submit a report to be reviewed by the Authority of Heads of State and Government.
Furtherance to that, they have instructsed the ECOWAS Commission to facilitate the deployment of a joint ECOWAS Ministerial Mission to Burkina Faso, led by the Chairperson of Council of Ministers on 31st January, 2022 to assess the political situation and submit their report to the Authority of Heads of State and Government.
The United Nations Special Representative to West Africa and Sahel and the African Union is expected to participate in this mission.
It has since requested the Commission to finalize the on-going revision of the Protocol on Democracy and good governance.
They have resolved to convene an Extraordinary Summit on 3rd February 2022 in Accra, Ghana to re-examine the situation in Burkina, Guinea, and Mali.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent