ECOWAS suspends Burkina Faso, orders release of detained president after coup

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at its emergency meeting on Friday suspended Burkina Faso over the military coup that ousted President Roch Marc Christian Kabore from office before the end of his tenure.  The sub-regional body held back from imposing sanctions on the military junta at this stage.

ECOWAS leaders who held virtual summit on the development in Burkina Faso urged  the military junta to immediately free ousted President Roch Marc Christian Kabore and other government officials being detained after the coup on Monday.

The ECOWAS leaders scheduled another summit in Accra on February 3.

After about three hours of deliberations, the summit resolved to send a mission of ECOWAS chiefs of staff to Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, on Saturday, for consultation with the military regime.

Thereafter, ministerial envoys from ECOWAS countries will proceed for more consultations on Monday.

Burkina Faso has become the third country to stage coup in the West African sub-region in recent time, trailing Mali, and Guinea. Mali and Guinea had been suspended from the ECOWAS after the coup, with additional sanctions.