A delegation of ECOWAS leaders have secured an agreement with stakeholders in Burkina Faso for the immediate lifting of the suspension of the constitution and the holding of Presidential and legislative elections within twelve months to resolve the crisis created by last week’s resignation of former President Blaise Compaore and the dissolution of his government.
The agreements was reached on Wednesday, 5th November 2014 by the delegation led by the Chairman of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, President John Dramani Mahama during a one day visit meant to encourage national dialogue in resolving the crisis.
The lifting of the suspension will enable the Constitutional Council to declare a power vacuum and the next steps for the formation of a Transitional Government.
The leaders who also include President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria and MackySall of Senegal called for the “urgent designation by consensus of a suitably eminent civilian to lead the transition.”
The meeting also agreed on the formation of a transitional government for a period of one year, the organization of presidential and legislative elections by November 2015, guarantee the security of all Burkinabe including political party leaders, members of the defunct Government and National Assembly, and the protection of human rights and individual choices.
Furthermore, it agreed on the need to initiate an all-inclusive consultation among political party leaders, representatives of civil society organizations, religious and traditional leaders as well as the national arms forces, to stop the structure and composition of the bodies of the transition.
The leaders recalled the important contributions by Burkina Faso to the promotion of global peace and security as well as political stability within the region and the continent at large, particularly its active participation in peace keeping and mediation processes.
They also urged the stakeholders to engage in dialogue in order to define a coherent and consensual transition and expressed their deepest condolences to the bereaved families and sympathies to the victims of the uprising October 30, 2014.
They also expressed their deep gratitude to Lt.-Col. YacoubaZida Isaac and members of the country’s armed forces for their professionalism in maintaining security, law and order and for their positive role in the establishment of a transition process led by a personality civil.
During the visit, the leaders were briefed on the outcome of the joint UN-AU-ECOWAS assessment mission to Ouagadougou from 31 October to 5 November 2014.
Stakeholders met by the leaders include the leaders of the country’s political parties, representatives of civil society, religious and traditional leaders, members of the armed forces, as well as the chairman and members of the Constitutional Council.
The leaders are expected to report the outcome of the visit to the Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government being held in Accra, Ghana, Thursday 6 and Friday 7 in November 2014.
