|
Burkina Faso had already been suspended from the West African
regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States,
though ECOWAS stopped short of imposing sanctions after the Jan.
24 coup that ousted President Roch Kabore.
An ECOWAS delegation along with a United Nations envoy were due
to visit Burkina Faso on Monday to meet with the coup leaders
before deciding on next steps.
"Council decides in line with the relevant AU instruments... to
suspend the participation of Burkina Faso in all AU activities
until the effective restoration of constitutional order in the
country," the AU Political Affairs, Peace and Security
Department said in a Twitter post.
The AU suspended two other West African members, Mali and
Guinea, after their own military takeovers last year. The coup
in Burkina Faso was the fourth in the region in 18 months.
ECOWAS and its international allies have condemned the coup,
which they fear could further destabilise a country beset by
Islamist violence, but find themselves with limited leverage.
The Burkinabe coup leader, Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Damiba,
said last week that the country would return to constitutional
order "when the conditions are right".
(Reporting by Thiam Ndiaga; writing by Nellie Peyton; editing by
Mark Heinrich)
[© 2022 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
|
|
