Status: 09.12.2021 13:57
Burkina Faso’s President Kaboré has dissolved the government. The background to this is the ongoing convulsions from militant Islamists, which Prime Minister Dabiré could not control.
In Burkina Faso, West Africa, the government has resigned amid growing popular dissatisfaction with the poor security situation in the country and ongoing attacks by militant Islamist groups.
As the state television reported on Wednesday, President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré sacked Prime Minister Christophe Marie Joseph Dabiré, who had previously submitted his resignation – it is unclear whether this happened at the urging of the President.
As a result of the move, the government in Burkina Faso was automatically dissolved, but Dabiré is supposed to continue government business until a new government is formed. President Kaboré called for unity in the country on social media.
Symbol of terror in the Sahel
Burkina Faso has become a symbol of the spreading terror in the so-called Sahel zone. There have been repeated extremist attacks there since 2015, and the security situation has deteriorated due to criminal gangs and ethnic conflicts.
Numerous militias are active in the country and neighboring states Niger, Mali and Nigeria, including groups that feel they belong to the terrorist networks Al Qaeda and the “Islamic State” (IS).
Dissatisfaction with Kaboré
In November, an attack in Soum province in northern Burkina Faso killed at least 57 people, including 53 security guards. They had previously drawn attention to precarious working conditions. Because of this, too, criticism of the government is growing louder. President Kaboré was re-elected a year ago with the promise of improving the security situation.
In the past few weeks there have been repeated demonstrations because the security situation has continued to deteriorate: Thousands of people have already been killed and over a million people are on the run.
With information from Dunja Sadaqi, ARD-Studio Rabat.