OUAGADOUGOU, May 15, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Burkina Faso's military rulers have
announced they will hold national consultations at the end of this month to
determine the next steps in the country's transition to civilian rule.

The landlocked West African nation has been run by a military regime since
mutinying soldiers deposed elected president Roch Marc Christian Kabore in
2022.

Junta leader Captain Ibrahim Traore then seized power in another coup on
September 30, 2022.

He established a transitional government and legislative assembly for 21
months, a period set to expire on July 1.

"National meetings have been called for May 25 and 26 in Ouagadougou,"
according to a press release signed by Minister of Territorial Administration
Emile Zerbo and read on national television Tuesday night.

"These meetings will enable representatives of the nation's active forces to
deliberate on the next steps to be taken in the transition, which will run
until July 1, 2024, as stipulated in the October 14, 2022 charter," the
announcement said.

The meetings will bring together representatives from civil society,
political parties and the military to "take stock of the past months ...
decide whether to continue the transition and what that continuation will
be," according to the minister's statement.

Last month, all 71 members of the legislative assembly for transition (ALT)
approved a plan for a transition forum, leaving "it to the sovereign people
who will meet during the national forum to decide the development of the
transition".

Since 2015, Burkina's forces have been struggling to combat jihadist
insurgencies that have killed thousands of people and forced around two
million from their homes -- violence that army leaders used to justify their
coups.

Traore initially promised a return to civilian rule with elections in 2024
but has since insisted that national security would take precedence over any
vote.