Akufo-Addo to host emergency virtual ECOWAS summit on Burkina Faso coup

President Akufo-Addo will today, Friday, host a virtual ECOWAS emergency summit to deliberate on happenings in Burkina Faso.

The army in the West African country on Monday announced it has seized power and ousted the government of President Roch Kabore.

Mr. Kaboré came to power after the former president Blaise Compaoré was overthrown by a popular uprising in 2014 following which he then fled to the Ivory Coast.

Mr. Compaoré is being tried in absentia for the assassination of the former revolutionary leader Thomas Sankara.

The soldiers cited the government’s lack of commitment to fighting Islamist Militants and general economic hardship.

Since 2015, Burkina Faso has battled with a jihadist insurgency, which spread from neighbouring Mali,

The fighting has left thousands dead and about 1.5 million people internally displaced.

After previous coups in other West African counties, the regional body has reacted with sanctions.

Already, ECOWAS is dealing with similar situations in Guinea and Mali where there have also been coups.

President Akufo-Addo is expected to rally colleague heads of state in the sub-region to roll out sanctions against the coup leaders in Burkina Faso.