By Jacob Kubeka –
Leader of Burkina Faso’s new military junta called for international support in his first major public intervention Thursday on the eve of a regional summit that could seek to sanction Ouagadougou.
“Burkina Faso more than ever needs its international partners,” Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba said in televised comments days after leading the overthrow of president Roch Marc Christian Kabore.
“I call on the international community to support our country so it can exit this crisis as soon as possible.”
Heads of the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) are to confer on Friday over how to respond to Monday’s military coup.
Kabore was ousted by mutineering soldiers on the back of public anger at his failure to stem jihadist violence ravaging the vast west African nation.
Earlier Thursday, around 20 trade union leaders met for about half an hour with the junta at the presidency in the capital Ouagadougou.
Damiba “assured us that we will be consulted and included in what will be put in place,” said Marcel Zante, who heads a federation of 130 unions.
“Now we are waiting to see what happens on the ground,” he added.
Damiba, 41, is a rising star in the military who commands an eastern region that has been badly hit by jihadists.
On Wednesday, he met ministers of Kabore’s government, which like the parliament has been dissolved.
The junta has also suspended the constitution, vowing to re-establish “constitutional order” within a “reasonable time”.