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| Lt. Col. Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba leader of the Jan 24 coup |
WASHINGTON, Feb 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US has officially determined that the events leading to the overthrow of the Burkinabe President Christian Roch Marc Kabore constituted a military coup.
The State Department subsequently announced that it is freezing nearly $160m in foreign aid to the West African country.
Kabore was deposed in late January in the fourth in a series of military takeovers within the West African sub region. Mali (twice) and Guinea had experiences similar takeover prior between 2020 to 2021.
Lt. Col. Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba junta took over the reins citing rising insecurity across the country. The junta leader was only this week sworn in as President.
The suspension of aid comes after the region and continental blocs, ECOWAS and the African Union respectively suspended Burkina Faso as a member state.
Under US law, any release of funds to Burkina Faso will now be conditional on verified steps towards a return to civilian rule. — NNN-AGENCIES
