West African leaders press for civilian rule in Burkina Faso

Three West African leaders visited Burkina Faso on Wednesday to help the country return to civilian rule after the military took power following the resignation of President Blaise Compaore.

Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, who is also chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan and Senegal's President Macky Sall arrived here to press the country's interim military leader for a return to civilian rule.

Mahama held talks with Lieutenant-Colonel Isaac Zida, who was appointed by the military as interim leader, other political actors and international envoys already here on a mediation mission.

Diplomats close to the talks said that the parties were generally in favor of a civilian-led transitional government.

Delegates from Burkina Faso's military, political, civil society and religious groups are expected to select three candidates before a consensus can be made for the choice of the interim presidency, they said.

Mahama also met with representatives from a joint mission of ECOWAS, the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) dispatched here after the stepping down of Compaore.

Compaore was forced to resign last Friday after 27 years in power as angry citizens massed up in the streets to protest his attempt to amend the constitution again to entrench himself in power.

After two days of power struggle, the military's high command announced its choice of Zida as interim leader.

The UN, AU and ECOWAS have all spoken out against the take-over by the military, urging that power be handed over to a civilian administration. Enditem