Prime Minister Dismissed by Military Junta Amid Political Shifts in Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso's military leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, has dismissed Prime Minister Apollinaire Joachim Kyélem de Tambèla and dissolved the government, as announced in a presidential decree issued on Friday. The decree did not provide a reason for the dismissal but noted that members of the dissolved government would continue to handle ongoing matters until a new administration is formed.

Kyélem de Tambèla, who was appointed in October 2022 following Traoré's coup, has served through three successive governments during his tenure. His dismissal adds to the ongoing political instability in Burkina Faso, which has been marked by a series of coups since January 2022, when Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba initially took power. Damiba was later overthrown by Traoré eight months later and is currently in exile in Togo.

Under Traoré's leadership, the junta has focused on national sovereignty, frequently criticizing Western powers and distancing itself from France, the country's former colonial ruler. Instead, Burkina Faso has strengthened ties with Mali and Niger, forming the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in September 2023.

The three nations have also moved toward closer relations with Russia, which has sent military instructors to aid in their fight against jihadist violence. The ongoing jihadist conflict, which began in northern Mali in 2012 and spread to Burkina Faso and Niger by 2015, has resulted in significant humanitarian crises, with over 26,000 people, including civilians and soldiers, killed in the violence