The coup in Burkina Faso doesnt really do anything to take the country forward in terms of stability and organizing a response, either to the security crisis or to the establishment of some sort of clear roadmap forward in political terms. } And we need to do a much better job thinking about the long-term risks including coups and abuses by forces we train., AFRICOM emphasizes that its security cooperation and capacity-building activities foster the development of professional militaries, which are disciplined and committed to the well-being of their citizens. U.S. Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna has a proposal for improving the most important relationship in the world. The Nigerien president has been trying to quell any military discontent by visiting defence forces in volatile regions, which seems to be working for now. askQuestionLink.classList.contains( 'is-active' ) ) ) { The latest news, analysis, and data from the country each week. U.S. Security Assistance to Burkina Faso Laid the Groundwork for a Coup, Want to read more on this topic or region? Click + to receive email alerts when new stories are published on. Burkina Faso's main opposition leader, Eddie Komboigo, has tried to take advantage of the public discontent about insecurity to whip up anger. People take to the streets of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Jan. 25, 2022. to rally in support of the new military junta that ousted democratically elected President Roch Marc Christian Kabore and seized control of the country. U.S. Security Assistance to Burkina Faso Laid the Groundwork for a Coup. Paul Melly, an analyst with London-based research group Chatham House, doubts that Mondays takeover will have a positive effect. 1, spoke at a Chamber of Commerce event Monday, highlighting the strange gulf between the K Street titan and the GOP. This is also West Africa's fourth coup in less than two years. Delivered Wednesday & Sunday. To discuss his lead essay in FPs summer print issue, The Scramble for AI, join FPs Ravi Agrawal in conversation with Paul Scharre, author of Four Battlegrounds: Power in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. Jan. 25, 2022 OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso The morning after the coup in Burkina Faso, a crowd of revelers celebrating the military takeover in the dusty main plaza of the capital had. Similar troubles in neighbouring Mali led to a military coup in May 2021 - one that was broadly welcomed by the public. The violence spilled over from neighboring Mali in the wake of the 2011 U.S.- and NATO-backed revolution in Libya that toppled longtime Libyan dictator Muammar al-Qaddafi and contributed to the 2012 political destabilization of Mali. \nBut how can such a plan work when domestic politics on both sides seem in favor of tougher rhetoric and policy? "iCalFileName": "what-ai-means-for-global-power", But across the region, many respond that it is not possible to tackle economic and social challenges without providing security first. Delivered Friday. Burkina Faso is now the third West African country to witness a military . To some in Burkina Fasos military, Damiba also was seen as too cozy with former coloniser France, which maintains a military presence in Africas Sahel region to help countries fight various armed groups. Almost all countries were at least formally democratic, even if some elected presidents, once in office, twisted the rules to perpetuate their stay in power. ] }, button ) But there are some differences from the situation in Burkina. "Unfortunately, we have recorded several dozen dead, soldiers and volunteers," the source added, a report confirmed by a local VDP official. (Required). But nine months later, he seized power again in his second coup. READ MORE: Burkina Faso at risk for more unrest after coup. Nick Turse January 26 2022, 11:35 a.m. Residents of the eastern town of Tanwalbougou had protested the same day against the upsurge in jihadist attacks, calling for supplies for their town, which has been blockaded by armed groups for several weeks. January 25, 2022, 7:09 AM Here is today's Foreign Policy brief: A coup in Burkina Faso, the United States mulls Eastern Europe troop deployment, and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to deliver. Who will win the AI race? In 2020, Col. Assimi Gota, who worked with U.S. Special Operations forces for years, participating in Flintlock training exercises and attending a Joint Special Operations University seminar at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida, headed the junta that overthrew Malis government. Burkina Fasos overthrown military chief agreed to step down two days after army officers announced his deposition in the countrys second coup in a year. What losses did Russia suffer in the Wagner revolt? Join FPs Ravi Agrawal for a timely debate between Beckley and Jin. Violent actors include military and police forces, militants such as the al Qaeda-affiliated Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin coalition and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara, and other armed militias. When are we going to live in safety in our country?. Following Sundays coup in Burkina Faso carried out by sections of the armed forces, theUnited Nations Secretary-Generalis following the developments in the landlocked West African nation with deep concern. Thank you. FP subscribers are encouraged to send in questions in advance. Most Burkinabe explain the violence tearing apart their country in terms of local dynamics and intimate, person-to-person interactions. "Terrorist groups attacked the village of Noaka" in the north-central region, "mainly targeting the VDP," a security source said, adding that "another attack targeted troops returning from escort duty in the Sahel region.". In Burkina Faso alone, the violence has had an enormous human toll, leaving over 7,000 people dead, over 1.4 million displaced, and more than 3.5 million in need of humanitarian assistance. Dozens of Burkinabe soldiers and allied volunteer militiamen have been killed in attacks carried out by suspected jihadists, security sources said Tuesday. "listStyle": "modal", "timeZone": "America/New_York", \nIn 2021, Michael Beckley argued in FP that Chinas demographic challenges and a decline in productivity would lead to economic stagnation. Jihadists have also triggered sectarian tensions between previously co-existing Christian and Muslim communities in Burkina Faso. This latest coup in West Africacomes amid a multifaceted crisis, according toOHCHRs Shamdasani a crisis that rangesfrom climate change that affectsthe ability of herders and pastoralists to carry out their daily work and conflicts erupt as a result of it, to violent extremist groups attacks on local populations, as well as the deteriorating humanitarian situation. const askQuestionLink = button.parentElement.parentElement.querySelector( '.bigfoot-footnote__button' ); "startDate": "2023-07-14T10:00", const button = document.querySelector( '#register-1117049' ); Reading an announcement on state television, Lt. Col. Cyprien Kabore, a spokesman for the junta also said the head of the intelligence unit and the armys chief of staff had been fired but didnt say who was replacing them. Fulani people live in daily fear of being attacked. A monthly digest of the top articles read by FP subscribers. The suspensions mean the countries cannot participate in any meetings or decision-making, officials said. Khanna will join FP editor in chief Ravi Agrawal for an in-depth discussion about not only China, but also Ukraine, U.S. national security priorities, trade policy, and more. There are clearly echoes of the 2020 army takeover in Mali. And over the past three years the spiral of insecurity has felt as if it is accelerating - particularly in Burkina Faso, where the pattern of indiscriminate attacks on both civilians and security forces outposts has spread rapidly southwards from more remote border areas to impact communities ever closer to Ouagadougou. Feelings had become particularly intense since a 14 November jihadist attack on the Inata gendarmerie garrison in northern Burkina Faso that left 53 of the 120 troops dead. "MicrosoftTeams", Data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute shows a parallel spike in Burkina Fasos military expenditures since 2009. The Fulani traditionally are Muslim pastoralists who live across West Africa and herd cattle semi-nomadically. However, militants from neighbouring Mali - where a separatist insurgency in 2012 was hijacked by jihadists - carried out an attack in the Burkinab capital as Mr Kabor prepared to take the helm. Those factors generate a lot of frustration among the population,Ms. Shamdasani said, adding that the High Commissioner believes thatthe way to manage this frustration and to find a way out of this conflict, through dialogue, through the meaningful participation of people from all sectors of the society., Reiterating his concern voiced on Monday over the coup, UN Secretary-GeneralAntnio Guterrestold reportersoutside the Security Council on Tuesday that the role of the military must be to defend their countries and their peoples, not to attack their governments and to fight for power., We have,unfortunately in the region, terrorist groups, we have threats to international peace and security, he said. Andrew Lebovich is an analyst with the European Council on Foreign Relations. Ibrahim Traore cheer with Russian flags in the streets of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, on Sunday.. Mr Cond was elected as the first democratic head of state in 2010 but became increasingly autocratic, altering the constitution to allow himself to run for a third term in 2020 and jailing a growing number of opponents. Sam Mednick, Associated Press OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AP) The African Union has suspended Burkina Faso until constitutional order is restored in the West African country, the organization announcedin a tweeton Monday. As an anthropologist and co-director of the Costs of War project at Brown Universitys Watson Institute, I was in the capital to conduct research on the growing conflict in the West African Sahel and the United States involvement. To discuss his lead essay in FPs summer print issue, The Scramble for AI, join FPs Ravi Agrawal in conversation with Paul Scharre, author of Four Battlegrounds: Power in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. Ibrahim Traor, n en 1988 Bondokuy (Burkina Faso), est un militaire et homme d'tat burkinab, chef d'tat du Burkina Faso depuis le 30 septembre 2022.Au sein de l'arme, il porte le grade de capitaine.. "background": false, Anger within the military at failures to roll back the insurgency sparked two coups in Burkina Faso last year. Morell, Donald Trumps deep state enemy No. At the same time, Burkina Fasos war on jihadis obscures the governments failure to alleviate poverty or fix state corruption, which are the deepest drivers of the militant movement. Analysis: In 2021, data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Projectsuggests thatBurkina Fasos state forces were responsible for over 1,100 fatalitiesclose to half of the people killed in the conflict that year by all parties to the violence. "trigger": "hover", The model in the region, looking at Guinea, looking at Mali, has been to push for a much longer transition timeline, he said. Over the past two years these have seen more than 1,000 schools close and 1.5 million people flee their homes to escape the violence, some left with no choice but to beg for money or food on the streets of the capital, Ouagadougou. }. President Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba proposed his own resignation in order to avoid clashes, said Hamidou Yameogo, a spokesman for the mediation efforts. button.addEventListener( 'mouseover', () => { But how can such a plan work when domestic politics on both sides seem in favor of tougher rhetoric and policy? Weekly update on developments in India and its neighbors. Africa Damiba is a highly trained soldier, thanks in no small part to theU.S. military, which has a long record of training soldiers in Africa who go on to stage coups. Violence only intensified after Damiba took power, including an attack that left 79 civilians dead over the summer, a bomb that killed 35 last month and an attack on a convoy Monday by Islamist. Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum has launched a major drive to persuade villagers to return to the home areas from which they had fled because of the violence, but supported now with a reinforced military presence, and the restoration of local public services and development programmes. For much of the past three decades, there was widespread consensus that Chinas continued rise was inevitable. Click + to receive email alerts when new stories are published on The soldiers said they had seized power in the West African country and dissolved the Kabor government. Its government, weak to begin with but further destabilized by two successive military . }, button ) Will it succeed? Supporters of Burkina Faso's military have welcomed Mondays coup, as the armed forces are seen as key in the fight against Islamist militants. How will it impact global trade, sanctions, and great-power competition? The U.S. military started to build a network of bases and training activities across Africa, boosting what had been a limited presence across the continent since World War II. The French foreign ministry condemned the violence against our embassy in the strongest terms by hostile demonstrators manipulated by a disinformation campaign against us. Learn more about Friends of the NewsHour. "location": "https://foreignpolicy.com/live/how-to-reset-the-u-s-china-relationship/", Explore the benefits of your FP subscription. Commenting on this and other recent articles is just one benefit of a Foreign Policy subscription. askQuestionLink || ( askQuestionLink && ! The 24 January military coup that overthrew Burkina Faso's president Roch Marc Christian Kabor comes amid a deepening security crisis in the country. | Its not that all Fulani are terrorists, its that most terrorists are Fulani, a Burkinabe army communications officer, speaking in an unofficial capacity, told me over a lunch of chicken and rice in a bustling outdoor eatery in Ouagadougou, Burkina Fasos capital, in January 2019. Earlier this week, the military seized power in Burkina Faso, ousting the countrys democratically elected president, Roch Marc Christian Kabor. They included a guarantee of security for his allies in the military, a guarantee of his security and rights, and assurance that those taking power will respect the pledge he gave to West Africas regional bloc for a return to civilian rule within two years. Stephanie Savell is an anthropologist and co-director of the Costs of War project at Brown Universitys Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs. Democratic societies are a value that must be preserved. Read about our approach to external linking. Mr. Guterres noted that public celebration was common: It's easy to orchestrate them, he said, but the values of democracy do not depend on the public opinion at one moment or another. Five things to know about Burkina Faso's coup leader: Political participation has also been undermined by the militant presence. "Google", OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso Gunfire erupted at military bases across this conflict-hit West African country early on Sunday as part of an attempted mutiny by soldiers angered by their. Officials followed a preemptive logic that suggested that the smallest possibility of an attack warranted preventative action, and they focused particularly on undergoverned areas in weak or fragile states. atcb_action( { "Outlook.com", OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT/AFP via Getty Images. Several other fighters are still missing," he told AFP, adding that commanders would give a precise toll later. "trigger": "hover", FP subscribers are encouraged to send in questions in advance. They heard he was tortured, starved, and even without water. Video, The endangered languages that are fighting back. Among others, he participated in the United States Exercise Flintlock in West Africa in 2010 and 2020, a U.S.-sponsored Military Intelligence Basic Officer Course in Senegal in 2013 and 2014, and a Department of Defense Civil Military Support Element in Burkina Faso in 2018 and 2019. Demands for a more effective security strategy had built up through last year, and President Kabor overhauled first his government and then the military command in an effort to regain the political momentum and begin to restore some stability for Burkina Faso's battered northern and eastern provinces. It faces one if not two jihadist insurgencies that have seized hold over much of the countryside, accompanied by horrific violence and displacement. Talks with Damiba and ECOWAS began Saturday when a West African military delegation arrived. The ousting of President Roch. They promised the regional bloc the Economic Community of West African State (Ecowas) they would organise elections by next month. January 25, 2022 at 7:13 a.m. EST. Delivered Thursday. The relentless reports of Islamist attacks fuelling popular anger on urban streets and resentment among soldiers who feel they are being sent out, too lightly armed, underpaid or even under-fed, to sustain the struggle against militant groups that take no prisoners. Burkina Faso's second military takeover in less than a year has sparked fears of rising violations against the right to freedom of expression and other human rights in an already-tense environment due to the conflict between Islamist armed groups and the Army. A coup attempt in 2015 left the military deeply divided. Supporters of Burkina Faso's Military Welcome Coup. Add to Calendar Receive daily updates directly in your inbox -, Bachelet deplores military coup in Burkina Faso, UN chief condemns ongoing military coup in Sudan, Following resignation of Sudans Prime Minister, Guterres condemns violence targeting protestors, Time to seriously de-escalate tensions over Ukraine, Guterres tells Munich conference, Guterres calls on Burkina Faso coup leaders to lay down their arms, Decade of Sahel conflict leaves 2.5 million people displaced. Last summer, for example, American Green Berets arrived in Guinea to train a special forces unit led byCol. Mamady Doumbouya, a charismatic young officer who had also served in the French Foreign Legion. To discuss his lead essay in FPs summer print issue, The Scramble for AI, join FPs Ravi Agrawal in conversation with Paul Scharre, author of Four Battlegrounds: Power in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. } ); "label": "Register and Add to Calendar", "startDate": "2023-07-07T11:00", Burkina Fasos military seized power last week, claiming President Roch Marc Christian Kabors democratically elected government was not adequately dealing with the countrys unrest. AI is already impacting warfare and deterrence, and the immense amount of computing power required to stay ahead of the curve is driving foreign-policy choices for major economies.\nWho will win the AI race? Militant pressure on communities heightened public disgruntlement in the president's second term. U.S.-trained coup-plotters arent strictly confined to West Africa. Mr Kabor was first elected that year on a pledge to unify the country. } ); Only seven years later, around 2016, did Burkina Faso begin to see a surge in militant attacks. Why Burkina Faso's coup has prompted celebrations, Why France faces so much anger in West Africa, Russian mercenary plan triggers alarm in West Africa, Actor Julian Sands confirmed dead after remains identified, South Koreans become a year younger under new law, Illegal trade in AI child sex abuse images exposed, Superman: Legacy finds its Superman and Lois Lane, Sacked teacher vows to defend 20 years of absence, Pompeii archaeologists discover 'pizza' painting. I heard stories from Fulani people about government forces arresting and disappearing Fulani men from their homes, marketplaces, and roadside checkpoints. The junta has said that Kabore has not adequately addressed extremist violence in Burkina Faso, which has killed thousands and displaced more than 1.5 million people. Speaking to the nation last week for the first since seizing power, Damiba said he would restore security and order and unite the country. Since 2009, the United States has been supporting Burkina Fasos military with funding, weapons, and training as part of Washingtons post-9/11 counterterrorism efforts. Nonetheless, closer examination reveals the U.S. role in promoting the idea that terrorism in Burkina Faso required a military responseeven though the local dynamics were far too complicated to align neatly with the U.S. view that good government forces battle evil terrorists. Is the long-forgotten era of the military strongman making a comeback? After a month, he died. The main eastern highway to the city of Fada Ngourma and, beyond that, the border with Niger, is no longer safe. "Yahoo" Malin Fezehai for The New York Times OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso The military announced Monday that it had seized power in Burkina Faso, suspending the Constitution and ousting the. Khannas plan includes reducing trade deficits and tensions, improving communication, and bolstering deterrence. Captain Sidsore Kader Ouedraogo, spokesman for the Patriotic Movement for Safeguarding and Restoration, announces that the army has taken control of the country in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Jan. 24, 2022. The leader of a coup in Burkina Faso is the latest in a line of U.S.-trained soldiers who overturned civilian leaders. All of a sudden, everyone is talking about artificial intelligence. More than 2,000 people have lost their lives. atcb_action( { VideoThe endangered languages that are fighting back, When Miss World in India threatened 'cultural apocalypse'. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/african-union-suspends-burkina-faso-following-military-coup, Hundreds march in Burkina Faso capital in support of new junta, Soldiers in Burkina Faso mutiny, take President Kabore hostage, Burkina Faso says at least 100 civilians killed in attack. Military coups are unacceptable in the 21st century.. It depends who you ask. That year the countrys military spent $110 million; 10 years later, in 2019, it spent $358 million. Countdown has begun to end of Putin, say Kyiv officials, Anger in Paris after police kill teen in traffic stop, Belarus leader welcomes Wagner boss into exile, Van life is far from glamorous on LA's streets, China crackdown pushes LGBT groups into the shadows, The endangered languages that are fighting back. Hundreds of people in Burkina Faso's capital, Ouagadougou, have been celebrating after the military seized power on Monday. But more recently, an alternative school of thought has become popular: ChinaShow more has already peaked. Given the security threats, and the tremendous humanitarian challenges, OHCHR Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani, told reporters in Geneva it is more important than ever to ensure rule of law, constitutional order and international rights obligations are respected. "background": false, More than 100 people were killed in the attack blamed on militants who had crossed from Mali. "endDate": "2023-07-07T11:45", Conflict analysts say Damiba was probably too optimistic about what he could achieve in the short term, but a change at the top did not mean the countrys security situation would improve. The United States has halted nearly $160 million in U.S. aid to Burkina Faso after determining the January ouster of President Roch Kabore constituted a military coup, triggering aid restrictions . In 2020, voters who had fled their homes in parts of the north and east were unable to participate in the presidential poll in which Mr Kabor was re-elected with 58% of the vote. Wagner's network in Africa faces uncertain future, Prigozhin's soldiers rage while others cry conspiracy, How one temple feeds 100,000 people a day. During the visit, OHCHR had observed mounting frustration and impatience with the deteriorating security situation in the country, with increasingly vicious attacks by armed groups and others across the Sahel region, and the Governments response. Video, The endangered languages that are fighting back, Critical stage for fight against jihadis in West Africa, West Africa faces up to policing its terror triangle, Why France faces so much anger in West Africa, Russian mercenary plan triggers alarm in West Africa, Actor Julian Sands confirmed dead after remains identified, South Koreans become a year younger under new law, Illegal trade in AI child sex abuse images exposed, Superman: Legacy finds its Superman and Lois Lane, Sacked teacher vows to defend 20 years of absence, Pompeii archaeologists discover 'pizza' painting. A coup attempt in 2015 left the military deeply divided. The lieutenant-colonel studied in France, at a military academy and a prestigious institution, where he got a Master's in criminal sciences, He opposed a previous coup in 2015, which lasted seven days. While no sanctions have been imposed on Burkina Faso, a joint delegation with ECOWAS and the head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel, Mahamat Saleh Annadif, arrived in the capital, Ouagadougou, Monday to assess the situation, according to the U.N. An ECOWAS summit is also scheduled on Thursday in Ghana to discuss the situations in Burkina Faso and Mali, which is also under harsh economic and travel sanctions after its coup leader failed to organize elections within 18 months. Burkina Faso is now the third West African country to witness a military . A series of deadly attacks on military and civilian targets was followed by mass protests sparked by a growing lack of faith in the government of Mali's then President Ibrahim Boubacar Keta. The suspension of Burkina Faso comes a week after mutinous soldiers ousted democratically elected President Roch Marc Christian Kaborein a coup,citing his inability to stem jihadi violence. "Microsoft365", Militant attacks that began in 2015 have claimed more than 2,000 lives and forced 1.5 million people from their homes, according to UN estimates. ECOWAS recently imposed sanctions on Mali because its military leaders have tried to extend the transition to civilian rule by five years. The officers comment revealed more about his own prejudice than about the true makeup of militant groups: Research has shown that people from several different ethnic groups are involved. Traore promised to overhaul the military so it is better prepared to fight extremists. It is easy to feel as if the jihadists are deliberately seeking to foment unrest in Sahelian armies. "Apple", Africa. Beyond causing widespread death, suffering, and fear, the result of this government violence has been to fuel militancy. 1996 - 2023 NewsHour Productions LLC. "It was a massacre that took place in Noaka," one resident said, adding that about 30 VDP fighters had been killed in the attack alone. U.S.-brokered transfers to Kazakhstan led to arbitrary detention, former Guantnamo prisoners told The Intercept.
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