Burkinabes to stage nationwide protests seeking internal stability
Burkina Faso opposition and civil society groups are set to stage protests today seeking stability in the country.
On June 4 and 5, 2021, Jihadist groups massacred over 138 Burkinabes—the worst terrorist attack since 2015—in the Mali and Niger border village of Solhan. Burkina Faso’s porous borders with Mail and Niger have been the main channel supporting terrorist organizations operations in the country.
Today’s protests follow last week’s demonstrations and will call for increased government action and a restructuring of the ministries of defense and security to stabilize Burkina Faso against the terrorist threat.
In response to last week’s protests, Burkina Faso’s President Roch Kabore dismissed the country’s defense minister Cherif Sy, assuming the role of minister of defense himself. Today’s protests are unlikely to destabilize the government, Kabore has taken steps to appease protestors, and demonstrations have not yet turned political. In the short-term, expect President Kabore to further shake up the ministries of defense and security, likely sacking Security Minister Ousseni Compaore. Long-term, Burkina Faso will need to secure its porous borders to stem the flow of terrorist personnel and equipment into and out of the country which will require international cooperation with Mali and Niger.
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