Burkina Faso Leader Sacks Prime Minister, Dissolves Government

Burkina Faso’s military leader, Captain Ibrahim Traore, has dismissed the country’s Prime Minister, Apollinaire Joachim Kyelem de Tambela, and dissolved the government, according to a presidential decree obtained by AFP on Friday.

The decree, which offered no reasons for the dismissal, stated that members of the dissolved government would “carry out ongoing business until the formation of a new government.”

Kyelem de Tambela had served as prime minister since October 2022, shortly after Traore seized power in a coup. Despite surviving three cabinet reshuffles, his tenure has now come to an abrupt end.

“The prime minister’s official functions are terminated,” read the decree, leaving the nation speculating about the reasons behind the decision.

Burkina Faso has experienced political upheaval since January 2022, when Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba ousted then-President Roch Marc Christian Kabore. Damiba’s reign was short-lived as he was overthrown by Traore eight months later.

The country has been struggling to restore stability amidst a surge in jihadist violence that has claimed more than 26,000 lives since 2015 and displaced nearly two million people.

Under Traore’s leadership, Burkina Faso has distanced itself from its former colonial ruler, France, and pivoted towards Russia.

Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean-Marie Traore recently stated that cooperation with Russia “better suited” the country’s needs.

Burkina Faso, along with Mali and Niger—also led by military juntas—formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in September, marking a shift in regional politics.

The three nations, battling shared jihadist threats, have severed ties with France and withdrawn from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), accusing the bloc of being manipulated by Paris.

The Sahel region has been plagued by violence since 2012, when Islamist insurgencies began in northern Mali. The conflict spread to Burkina Faso and Niger, leading to widespread displacement and loss of life.

In Burkina Faso, Moscow has deployed military instructors to assist in the fight against jihadist groups.