Burkinabe President Ibrahim Traoré held discussions on August 31st in Ouagadougou with a Russian delegation led by Russian Deputy Minister of Defense Iounous-Bek Ievkourov, as reported by the Burkina Information Agency.
They discussed the status and prospects of military and technical cooperation between the two countries, as well as the issues raised during the meeting between the Russian and Burkinabe presidents that took place in late July during the second Russia-Africa Summit in Saint Petersburg.
The head of the Russian delegation assured Ibrahim Traoré of Russia’s support for the transition in Burkina Faso and the Burkinabe people in all areas of development, the agency added.
A bill for sending troops to Niger This visit comes as the Burkina Faso government approved a bill on Wednesday for sending a military contingent from the country to Niger.
“This commitment is made to prevent and combat terrorism to the best of our abilities. Anything that impacts Niger’s security significantly impacts Burkina Faso’s security,” explained Defense Minister Kassoum Coulibaly.
The heads of the member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have agreed to launch a military operation in Niger “as soon as possible.” This was stated by Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara upon his return from Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, where the community summit took place.
“The chiefs of staff will have further conferences to finalize matters, but they have the agreement of the conference of heads of state for the operation to start as soon as possible,” stated President Ouattara, as cited by Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Alassane Ouattara also highlighted that his country would provide a battalion of 850 to 1,100 troops for the operation, and that Nigeria and Benin would also participate in the operation, reported AFP. “The coup leaders can decide to leave as early as tomorrow morning and there won’t be any military intervention, it all depends on them. We are determined to reinstall President Bazoum in his functions,” added President Ouattara.
ECOWAS leaders, including Niger, demanded that the rebels release President Mohamed Bazoum by August 7, threatening to use force if necessary. However, neighboring countries Mali and Burkina Faso stated that they would consider such action as an attack against themselves.
As the ECOWAS ultimatum was not respected, community leaders met again in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, on August 10. The community reiterated its “ongoing commitment” to restoring constitutional order in Niger.
At the same time, the current ECOWAS chairman, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, acknowledged that the ultimatum issued to Nigerien rebels to restore democracy, as well as the imposed sanctions, had not yielded the desired results. He called for dialogue, including with the rebels who have taken power.
On July 26, a group of Nigerien military personnel announced on television the ousting of President Bazoum, the closure of the country’s borders, the implementation of a curfew, the suspension of the Constitution, and the ban on political party activities. The National Council for the Safeguard of the Nation (CNSP) was established to manage the country, with General Abdourahamane Tchiani taking the helm of this new entity.
In the meantime, according to statements from Nigerien politicians, Mr. Bazoum is in “good health” and has been in telephonic contact with leaders and members of governments from other countries, although he is prohibited from leaving his residence.
