The European Union hailed the return to power Wednesday of Burkina Faso’s interim president Michel Kafando after a week-long coup by renegade troops.
“President Kafando’s return to his duties and the announced return to the transition process amount to crucial steps for normalising the situation in Burkina Faso,” the EU’s diplomatic arm said in a statement.
The EU welcomed the “major role” that the ECOWAS west African regional bloc and several African leaders played in restoring stability in the country which had been in the grips of a coup since September 17.
“The European Union continues to follow very closely the evolution of the situation and call on all concerned parties to assume their responsibilities and act in the national interest to resolve the outstanding issues in a spirit of dialogue and compromise,” the external action service said.
The EU restated its determination to support “the civil transition process, including the electoral process, to contribute to the return of stability and the democratic process as soon as possible.”
Kafando officially resumed power Wednesday after a week-long coup by members of the elite presidential guard, who bowed to pressure from regional powers and former colonial ruler France.
The move came after marathon talks brokered by ECOWAS, and fears for the transition from 27 years of iron-fisted rule by ousted president Blaise Compaore.
Kafando, who has led the landlocked west African country since last year’s anti-Compaore popular uprising, said his “main objective” now was to organise a vote.
General Gilbert Diendere, who last week staged the coup, on Wednesday confirmed the crisis had ended, describing the putsch he led as “the biggest mistake”.
