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Military Officer Named Interim Prime Minister in Burkina Faso Military Officer Named Interim Prime Minister in Burkina Faso
(about 3 hours later)
OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso — The military officer who seized power in Burkina Faso after the ouster of President Blaise Compaoré late last month was named on Wednesday as prime minister in a transitional government intended to steer the country to elections within a year. OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso — The military officer who seized power in Burkina Faso after the ouster of President Blaise Compaoré last month was named on Wednesday as prime minister in a transitional government intended to steer the country to elections within a year.
Lt. Col. Isaac Zida, 49, a senior officer in the presidential guard, emerged as the country’s army-backed leader after angry crowds burned down Parliament and rampaged through the streets to protest Mr. Compaoré's plan to change the Constitution and extend his 27-year rule. The appointment of Lt. Col. Isaac Zida, 49, a senior officer in the presidential guard, seemed to run counter to the entreaties of the United States and of other nations for the military to return to barracks and focus on what the State Department in Washington has called its “primary mission” of ensuring national security.
Colonel Zida announced that he was suspending the Constitution and taking over as Mr. Compaoré, who had come to power as an army officer in a coup in 1987, fled to neighboring Ivory Coast. Colonel Zida emerged as the country’s army-backed leader after crowds burned down Parliament in late October and rampaged through the streets to protest a plan by Mr. Compaoré to change the Constitution and extend his 27-year rule.
The military’s move met with opposition from Western countries, including the United States, and from the African Union, the continent’s main representative body, which threatened to impose sanctions unless power was returned to civilians. Colonel Zida announced that he was suspending the Constitution and taking over, while Mr. Compaoré, who had come to power as an army officer in a coup in 1987, fled to neighboring Ivory Coast.
The military’s move met with opposition from Western countries including the United States, and from the African Union, the continent’s main representative body, which threatened to impose sanctions unless power was returned to civilians.
Early on Monday, facing a deadline from the African Union for the military to withdraw, a panel of political, military, religious, traditional and other leaders agreed to appoint Michel Kafando, 72, a former foreign minister and onetime ambassador to the United Nations, as interim president.Early on Monday, facing a deadline from the African Union for the military to withdraw, a panel of political, military, religious, traditional and other leaders agreed to appoint Michel Kafando, 72, a former foreign minister and onetime ambassador to the United Nations, as interim president.
Before Colonel Zida’s new status was announced on Wednesday, news reports said, military officers had depicted his potential appointment as a trade-off for the army’s agreement to name a civilian as transitional president. The choice was broadly welcomed as the harbinger of a return to civilian rule and a prelude to elections.
Earlier reports had described Mr. Kafando as the military’s choice for interim head of state, suggesting that the army would still wield powerful influence despite apparent gains by advocates of democracy. Before Colonel Zida’s new status was announced on Wednesday, however, military officers had depicted the appointment of a civilian interim president as a trade-off in return for the colonel’s prominent role in the transition to democracy, suggesting that the army would still wield powerful influence in this landlocked West African country.
A decree appointing Colonel Zida and signed by Mr. Kafando was read out on Wednesday by Alain Ouattara, deputy secretary general of the transitional government in this landlocked West African country. Developments here have been closely watched because Burkina Faso has played an important strategic role in Western efforts to counter Islamic militants in the region, even as many of its 17 million citizens remain mired in poverty.
Many of Burkina Faso’s 17 million citizens remain mired in poverty, even as their country has played an important strategic role in Western efforts to counter Islamic militants in the region. Mr. Kafando himself signed the decree appointing Colonel Zida as prime minister. The document was read out on Wednesday by Alain Ouattara, deputy secretary general of the transitional government.
When Mr. Kafando was sworn in on Tuesday, Agence France-Presse reported, he pledged that he would not allow Burkina Faso to become a “banana republic.”When Mr. Kafando was sworn in on Tuesday, Agence France-Presse reported, he pledged that he would not allow Burkina Faso to become a “banana republic.”
He also promised to “respect and defend the Constitution.”He also promised to “respect and defend the Constitution.”
“The Constitution of a country holds the keys to the very organization of the state,” he said. “To change it too much leads to a breakdown in society, to regrettable upheavals such as we have recently known.”“The Constitution of a country holds the keys to the very organization of the state,” he said. “To change it too much leads to a breakdown in society, to regrettable upheavals such as we have recently known.”
It was not immediately clear how the African Union, and Western allies, would respond to the appointment of a military officer as prime minister.It was not immediately clear how the African Union, and Western allies, would respond to the appointment of a military officer as prime minister.
In a statement on Tuesday, Jeff Rathke, a State Department spokesman in Washington, congratulated Mr. Kafando on his appointment and said the United States encouraged him “to select individuals to serve in the transitional government who are firmly committed to a democratic, civilian government.”In a statement on Tuesday, Jeff Rathke, a State Department spokesman in Washington, congratulated Mr. Kafando on his appointment and said the United States encouraged him “to select individuals to serve in the transitional government who are firmly committed to a democratic, civilian government.”
The statement urged the military “to continue their primary mission to safeguard the territorial integrity of Burkina Faso and the security of its citizens.” The statement urged the military leadership “to continue their primary mission to safeguard the territorial integrity of Burkina Faso and the security of its citizens.”