Burkina Faso junta extends its transition term by 5 years ( apnews.com )

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — The military leader of Burkina Faso will remain in office for another five years following the signing of a new charter after national consultations in the capital on Saturday.

Civil society representatives, the security and defense forces and lawmakers in the transitional assembly participated in the talks in Ouagadougou, which most political parties boycotted.

“The duration of the transition is fixed at 60 months from July 2, 2024,” said Col. Moussa Diallo, the chairman of the organizing committee of the national dialogue process, in a speech after the talks.

Burkina Faso is one of a growing list of West African countries where the military has taken power, accusing the elected governments of failing to keep their promises. The current junta seized power in September 2022 by ousting the military regime of Lt. Col. Paul Henri Sandaogo Damiba about eight months after it staged a coup to remove democratically elected President Roch Marc Kaboré.