Just eight months after seizing power in Burkina Faso, Lt. Col. Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba conceded the presidency to his rival, Capt. Ibrahim Traore, in a countercoup. What the change in leadership will mean for Burkina Faso’s deteriorating security situation and transition back to democratic elections is unclear.
After an already dramatic week, West Africa’s governance crisis reached a fever pitch earlier today amid conflicting reports from Burkina Faso that raised fears of yet another military coup attempt in the region. It is now difficult to see a scenario that would bring an improvement in West Africa’s security and political landscape.
Gambia has made indisputable progress since the ouster of longtime dictator Yahya Jammeh in 2016, but its transition to democracy remains far from complete. This is particularly the case regarding critical reform and transitional justice efforts needed to institutionalize Gambia’s democracy and safeguard it from backsliding.
