Burkina Faso military leader dismisses prime minister, dissolves government
(FILE) Interim leader of Burkina Faso Captain Ibrahim Traore (C) salutes at the start of the first ever Alliance of Sahel States summit in Niamey, Niger, 06 July 2024. EFE/EPA/ISSIFOU DJIBO
Burkina Faso’s ruling military authority has dismissed interim Prime Minister Apollinaire Joachim Kyelem de Tambela and dissolved the government, according to a decree issued on Friday by the office of military leader Ibrahim Traore.
The decree did not specify reasons for the decision.
Tambela had served as interim premier since Traore seized power in September 2022 during a military coup—the latest in a series of such upheavals across West Africa’s Sahel region in recent years.
The decree noted that members of the dissolved government would remain in their roles temporarily until a new cabinet is appointed.
Burkina Faso continues to face severe security challenges as it battles insurgents linked to al-Qaeda and ISIS. The insurgency, which began in neighboring Mali nearly a decade ago, has since spread into Burkina Faso, exacerbating instability.
Traore had pledged to improve the security landscape upon taking power in 2022. However, under his leadership, the situation has not improved, with increasing violence and crackdowns on dissent, according to analysts, rights organizations, and humanitarian groups.
