Military rule extended

The military junta in Burkina Faso will retain power for another five years, further delaying the transition back to democracy. The decision was announced after the signing of a new charter following national consultations in the capital, Ouagadougou, this weekend. Deutsche Welle reports that civil society representatives, security and defence forces and lawmakers in the transitional assembly participated in the talks, which most political parties boycotted. ‘The duration of the transition is fixed at 60 months from 2 July 2024,’ said Colonel Moussa Diallo, chairman of the organising committee of the national dialogue process. He added that coup leader and acting President Ibrahim Traore could run in any elections at the end of the transition period. The army has governed Burkina Faso since 2022, carrying out two coups that it said were justified in large part by the persistent insecurity.