The EU describes the coup in Burkina Faso as “regrettable”

Oct. 4 () –

The European Union has described as “regrettable” the coup perpetrated by a group of soldiers in Burkina Faso, which has forced the resignation of Lieutenant Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, and has precipitated the appointment of Captain Ibrahim Traoré, head of the riot, as the new leader of the military junta in the country.

The Commissioner for International Cooperation, Jutta Urpilainen, has specified before the European Parliament, on behalf of the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, that it will take “some time to assess whether Burkina Faso and the EU can continue to be partners” .

“We had strongly supported the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in its mediation efforts to find a way forward,” he said, recalling the coup that took place in the country on Friday.

In this regard, Urpilainen, reading Borrell’s speech, recalled that the EU had made a political commitment to the country’s authorities and that the High Representative himself even met in New York two weeks ago with the outgoing leader of the military junta and transitional president of the country, Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba.

“We were ready to intensify our cooperation with the country, including in the field of defense and security, while continuing to support the people of Burkina Faso,” he told the European Parliament.

In this way, it has placed the focus of attention on the talks between ECOWAS and the new authorities. “We look forward to these discussions that will lead to positive and constructive conclusions, that respect the commitments made at the time of President Damiba’s removal,” he said.

Thus, Urpilainen specified that “the current challenge” is to convince the country’s new military junta that “although the Wagner option is tempting, these mercenaries are objectively ineffective in the fight against terrorism in the Sahel.” “We can witness it more and more in Mali every day,” he added.

It must be remembered that the Russian Wagner Group has sent mercenaries to several African countries in recent years -including Libya and the Central African Republic (CAR)-, which has caused suspicions due to Moscow’s involvement in various conflicts on the continent. .

The protests in favor of Captain Traoré have put the focus on the role of Russia, since the protesters ask for a greater involvement of Moscow to the detriment of France, calling to imitate the role that the country has in Mali.

After the coup, Brussels denounced the coup d’état and requested in a statement “the fulfillment of the commitments made, which formed the basis of the agreement reached with ECOWAS on July 3, in order to support Burkina Faso towards national elections free and transparent before July 1, 2024”.

“The European Union denounces the new coup in Burkina Faso, which jeopardizes the efforts undertaken for several months, in particular by the Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to supervise the transition,” the EU said in a statement. statement attributed to the High Representative for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell.