Burkina Faso military government appoints interim president

On November 17, the military government of Burkina Faso appointed former Foreign Minister Michel Kafando as interim president and will lead the country until 2015.

This is an important step towards returning the West African country to democracy after a military coup last month.

Burkina Faso's newly appointed interim president, Michel Kafando. (Source: UN)

Mr. Kafando, 72 years old, served as Burkina Faso's ambassador to the United Nations from 1998-2011 and as the country's foreign minister from 1981-1982.

With the backing of the military, he beat out other candidates including Archbishop Paul Ouedraogo, former minister Josephine Ouedraogo and former governor of the Central Bank of West Africa Province (BCEAO) Justin Damo Barro. Mr Kafando's appointment will have to be approved by the Constitutional Council.

Speaking to the press, Mr. Kafando said he had been entrusted with an extremely difficult and heavy responsibility.

Burkina Faso's interim president was appointed on the deadline set by the African Union (AU), which said that if a replacement for Blaise Compaore, who resigned last month, is not chosen by November 17, the West African country will face AU sanctions.

Earlier, on November 16, opposition parties, military representatives, civil groups and religious leaders officially signed a “transitional agreement.” According to this agreement, the president will appoint a prime minister to run a 25-member transitional government. The 90-seat parliament - also known as the National Transitional Council - will be run by a civilian representative.

The agreement also stipulates that no member of the transitional government will be allowed to participate in the general election scheduled for November 2015./.

According to VNA