The African Union reported that it has suspended Burkina Faso from all its activities in response to the military coup, and until constitutional order is restored.

Burkina Faso had already been suspended from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), though the West African regional bloc stopped short of imposing sanctions after the January 24 coup that ousted President Roch Kabore.

An ECOWAS delegation along with a United Nations envoy was due to visit Burkina Faso, to meet with the coup leaders before deciding on next steps.

The AU Political Affairs, Peace and Security Department in a Twitter post said: “Council decides in line with the relevant AU instruments to suspend the participation of Burkina Faso in all AU activities until the effective restoration of constitutional order in the country.”

The AU suspended two other West African members, Mali and Guinea, after their own military takeovers in 2021. The coup in Burkina Faso was the fourth in the region in 18 months.

ECOWAS and its international allies have condemned the coup, which they fear could further destabilize a country beset by Islamist violence, but finds them with limited leverage.

The Burkinabe coup leader, Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Damiba, said that the country would return to constitutional order “when the conditions are right.”

(Reuters/NAN)