Burkina Faso prolongs military governance for additional five years: summary

What we know

• Burkina Faso's aspirations for a transition to civilian rule this year have been dashed, as the military government has declared an extension of its junta leadership for another five years.
• The decision was announced on May 25 after a national consultation meeting in the capital city Ouagadougou. Political parties were absent at the meeting.
• This nullifies an earlier pledge by Captain Ibrahim Traoré to restore the civilian government by July 1, 2024, after seizing power from Col Paul Henri Damiba through a second coup in September 2022.
• Captain Traoré will also be able to contest the next presidential elections in 2029 after the 60-month junta rule.
• Burkina Faso’s decision makes it the second within the Sahel region to extend its military rule. The first is Mali.

What they said

The 5-year extension will begin on July 2, 2024, according to the charter. "The elections marking the end of the transition may be organised before this deadline if the security situation so permits," the Reuters news agency quoted the charter as saying.