Burkina Faso’s military ruler, Ibrahim Traoré, has dismissed Prime Minister Apollinaire Joachim Kyelem de Tambela and dissolved the government, according to a presidential decree released.
The decree stated that” the prime minister’s official functions are terminated,” adding that members of the dissolved government will oversee ongoing matters until a new administration is established.
No official reason was given for Kyelem de Tambela’s removal, who had served as prime minister since October 2022 following Traoré’s rise to power.
This marks another shift in Burkina Faso’s turbulent political landscape, which has been marred by instability since January 2022.
That year saw the ousting of elected President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré by Lt. Col. Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba.
Damiba himself was overthrown less than a year later by Traoré, who currently leads the junta.
Under Traoré’s leadership, Burkina Faso has sought to assert its national sovereignty, taking a defiant stance against Western influence.
The country has strengthened ties with Mali and Niger, both under military rule, forming the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in September 2023.
The bloc has distanced itself from former colonial power France while aligning more closely with Russia.
Burkina Faso, a former French colony, has experienced a sharp deterioration in relations with Paris since the 2022 coup, reflecting the broader geopolitical shifts in the Sahel region.
Africanews/ Patience Ameh
Comments are closed.