MOSCOW, October 1 – Novosti. The influence of France in Burkina Faso will decrease with a military coup – in African countries, the military always defends the independence and sovereignty of their countries, former Soviet and Russian ambassador to Burkina Faso Yevgeny Korendyasov told Novosti.
“The military is traditionally in Africa one of the main pillars of maintaining the sovereignty and independence of the country. The army cannot but be national, and in African countries the army is one of the main structures of national significance. And, therefore, it is the main bearer of national sovereignty,” he said. Korendyasov.
He stressed that the army enjoys wide confidence among the population, since the military more consistently, in contrast to the “rotten elite”, protect the interests of a national character. And this trend, the expert added, is intensifying, while the business elites of the countries remain under the strong influence of the former metropolises.
“You see, France’s influence in Africa began a long time ago, and it is resisting in every possible way the reduction of its influence there; without influence in Africa, it loses its halo of world power. The French are fiercely fighting to maintain their influence in their former colonies,” Korendyasov added. He stressed that France without Africa “is unthinkable as a world power.”
Earlier, the media reported that a military group in Burkina Faso, led by Captain Ibrahim Traore, announced the removal of the head of the country’s transitional government, Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, the suspension of the constitution in the country, the dissolution of the government and the closure of borders. As Novosti was told at the Russian Embassy in Burkina Faso, the situation there is “relatively calm”, there are no victims among the Russians.
Rebels in Burkina Faso seized power on January 24 on behalf of the Patriot Movement for Preservation and Restoration, led by Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, 41. They announced that they had dismissed the president of the country, Rock Mark Kabore, the country’s government was dissolved, the constitution was suspended. Later, the rebels decided to restore the constitution.
