logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2022
14m 10s

Can Burkina Faso solve its political ins...

Bbc World Service
About this episode

Burkina Faso is no stranger to coups. It’s had seven military takeovers since its independence from France in 1960.

On September 30, a group of junior soldiers toppled a fellow military ruler in Burkina Faso.

Announcing their takeover on national television, the putschists accused Lt. Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba of failing to quell jihadist attacks in the country.

Damiba had been in charge since he and the military toppled President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré in January.

This time the interim leader is 34-year-old Ibrahim Traoré.

So, two coups in just eight months, with both leaders claiming to want to sort out the issues in Burkina Faso, but clearly not finding the right solution. Just yet.

Alan Kasujja is asking whether Burkina Faso can solve its political instability.

He’s been speaking to Burkinabé journalist Ouézen Louis Oulon and Niagalé Bagayoko, a security expert on the Sahel region.

Up next
Oct 27
Tanzanian elections: What issues are young people concerned about?
As Tanzania gears up for elections on 29 October, we hear from two young people about the issues that matter to them and whether youth concerns have been featured in the electoral campaigns.How a young Senegalese footballer's dream of joining a professional club ended in tragedy ... Show More
33m 44s
Oct 23
Focus on Africa: Hundreds of stolen social media identities used to spread propaganda
A BBC investigation uncovers dozens of social accounts using stolen identities of Somali and Muslim influencers and posting political propaganda content. We hear more about what was uncovered and who might be behind this widespread operation.Chad’s parliament has overwhelmingly a ... Show More
32m 11s
Oct 21
Focus on Africa Can DRC be declared ebola free?
The last ebola patient in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been released from a treatment centre in Kasai province. Can the country now be declared free of this latest outbreak?What is behind the escalating tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea over control of the Red Sea ... Show More
29m 59s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2022
Why have military coups returned to West Africa?
Elected governments have been overthrown by military coups in Burkina Faso, Mali and Guinea. Each has some popular support as people grow frustrated with their political elites. But will military lead governments perform better than civilians ones in these West African countries ... Show More
23m 45s
Oct 2022
Coup leader parades through capital of Burkina Faso
The leader of Friday's coup in the West African nation of Burkina Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traore, joined a parade after the former military leader, Lt. Colonel Paul Henri Damiba, agreed to step down. We hear the latest from the capital Ougadougou and look at the background to the r ... Show More
46m 23s
Aug 2023
Coup d'Etat au Gabon : la fin de la France en Afrique ?
Le Président gabonais Ali Bongo au pouvoir depuis 2009 a été destitué cette semaine par des militaires en charge de sa protection personnelle. Ce coup d'Etat est le huitième en Afrique en 3 ans. Mais peut-il être rapproché des derniers putschs au Mali, au Burkina Faso et au Niger ... Show More
12m 31s
Sep 2023
France-Afrique : les raisons d'une crise. Avec Niagalé Bagayoko | Entretiens géopo
<p>L’Afrique a connu, au cours des dix-huit derniers mois, une vague de coups d’État : au Mali, au Burkina Faso, en Guinée, au Soudan et plus récemment au Niger et au Gabon. Une vague que le président français Emmanuel Macron a qualifié « d’épidémie » à l’occasion de son discours ... Show More
27m 8s
Nov 2022
Russia, France and the battle for influence in West Africa
President Macron this week announced that France's anti-jihadist military mission in the Sahel region of Africa has ended. The departure of troops from the former colonial power and the end of Operation Barkhane comes at a challenging time for the region which is in the grips of ... Show More
48m 57s