Burkina Faso Coup | 10 Oct 2022
Why in News?
Recently, the President of Burkina Faso, Paul-Henri Damiba announced his resignation following violence in the volatile West African nation after the military government was overthrown by a group of soldiers in the second coup in around eight months.
- Despite Damiba’s promises to improve the security situation in the country, the crisis worsened under his government.
- The West African regional bloc Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) suspended Burkina Faso from the organisation, demanding Damiba led Government to hold elections as soon as possible.
What is the History of Burkina Faso?
- A former French colony, Burkina Faso has suffered chronic instability since gaining independence in 1960, including several coups.
- The country's name, meaning "land of the honest men", was picked by revolutionary military officer Thomas Sankara who took power in 1983. He was toppled and killed in 1987.
- Since 2015, the country has been fighting an Islamist insurgency that spilled over from neighbouring Mali. This has fuelled anger in the military and damaged the once important tourist industry.
- Landlocked Burkina Faso, one of West Africa’s poorest countries despite being a gold producer, has experienced numerous coups since independence from France in 1960.
- Islamist militants control swathes of Burkina Faso’s territory and have forced residents in some areas to abide by their harsh version of Islamic law, while the military’s struggle to quell the insurgency has drained scarce national resources.