Coup leader recognized as Burkina Faso's president

KIGALI, Rwanda

Coup leader Lt. Col. Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba has been recognized as the president of Burkina Faso since January when President Roch Kabore was deposed, the West African country’s Constitutional Council said in a statement Thursday.

Meeting on Feb. 8, the Constitutional Council took note of the resignation of Roch Kabore from the post of president on Jan. 24, 2022, the statement said.

“The Constitutional Council also indicated that as of Jan. 24, 2022, Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba is president of Faso. He will have to take an oath before the Constitutional Council,” the statement added.

Kabore was detained and later resigned on Jan. 24 following the coup.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) said that the military had obtained his resignation under duress, and demanded his immediate release with other political detainees.

ECOWAS, which suspended Burkina Faso from its governing bodies following the coup, has asked the military authorities to rapidly propose a timetable for the restoration of constitutional order.

The military junta has pledged to re-establish constitutional order within a “reasonable time”.

The UN Security Council on Wednesday expressed “serious concern” over Burkina Faso’s “unconstitutional change of government” last month and called for the “release and protection of President Roch Marc Christian Kabore and other government officials.”