Name? Roch Marc Kaboré
Westphalian identity? Burkinabé
Age? 64
Why is he in the news? Yesterday the President of Burkina Faso, Roch Marc Kaboré, fired Prime Minister Christophe Dabire over the increasingly unstable security situation in the country. The trigger for the current pressure on the government was a November 14 attack by jihadist groups on security forces that killed 53.
Why do we care? Firing his PM was President Kaboré’s answer to protests against himself over the security situation. Observers say this crisis is the worst one since the country gained independence from France in 1960, making it another example of how difficult effective governance is for young democracies. Kaboré’s tendency to replace any government official but himself certainly does not help either …
Why should you care? Let’s rip the bandaid right off, since the country’s transition to democracy in 2015 and Kaboré’s election, 1.4 million have been displaced and over 2000 people have been killed in clashes between the government and jihadist forces. You should care 8/10 about yet another conflict torn region in the world.
Who else cares? Russian President Vladimir Putin. The EU is present in the region over its worries of more refugees, meanwhile, Putin is playing his geopolitical game at its finest. He has agreements with all leaders, including of the G5 Sahel Group (of which Burkina Faso is a member) for military support and presence in the region, something Kaboré needs. What is Putin promising himself from this? Well, geopolitical eminence and a pole position in the “scramble for resources” in Africa.
Any further comments? What other factors besides the transition to a democracy are behind the rise of violent jihadist groups in Burkina Faso? Believe it or not, it is global warming. Longer periods of droughts have worsened living conditions in the region, a fertile breeding ground for young men having no other option but to join to jihadist groups providing for them.
