Burkina Faso’s military leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, has dismissed Prime Minister Apollinaire Joachim Kyélem de Tambèla and dissolved the government, according to a presidential decree issued on Friday.
The decree, which gave no reason for the decision, stated that members of the dissolved government would continue to handle ongoing matters until a new government is formed.
Kyélem de Tambèla, appointed in October 2022 after Traoré’s coup, had served through three successive governments during his tenure. The dismissal marks another episode in Burkina Faso’s political instability, which began with the January 2022 coup led by Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba. Damiba was overthrown by Traoré eight months later and is currently in exile in Togo.
The junta, under Traoré’s leadership, has prioritized national sovereignty, frequently criticizing Western powers and distancing itself from France, Burkina Faso’s former colonial ruler. Instead, the country has allied with Mali and Niger, forming the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in September 2023.
The three nations have shifted toward closer ties with Russia, which has deployed military instructors to assist in their ongoing b+ttle against jihadist vi+lence.
The jihadist conflict, which began in northern Mali in 2012 and spread to Burkina Faso and Niger by 2015, has caused significant humanitarian crises. Over 26,000 people, including civilians and soldiers, have been k+lled, and nearly two million have been displaced. Despite these challenges, the junta remains resolute in its efforts to address both governance and security concerns amid the country’s ongoing turbulence.
