When the crisis developed in Burkina Faso, the President of the Assembly of Heads of State of ECOWAS, President MackySall, and President BoniYayiof Benin formed a team to start negotiation.
They understood that quick action does serve the purpose of arresting fluid situations so that irreversible decisions are not taken. Timely intervention was urgent and the two heads of state addressed the urgencies of the moment.
Mediation is not dictation. It only succeeds if the will of the population is known and if all stakeholders are assisted to align their positions with the will of the population. The two heads of state spoke to all sides. The coup makers utilised the exclusion of the Campaore camp from the elections as a pretext for their action. To deprive them of a pretext the two heads of state proposed a transparent and inclusive elections. To curb fear of reprisal the two heads of state proposed amnesty for the coup makers.
Fortunately for Burkina Faso, it has a Republican Army which decided to defend the Republic and the people. Hence the coup has been reversed and the transition to democratic constitutional rule is on course.
West Africa is showing the world how to end self perpetuating rule by establishing term limits and nurturing Republican armies which would not defend leaders who violate their term limits.
Secondly, a community is being nurtured which makes timely interventions to prevent the type of disintegration we now find in Syria.
President Sall and President Boni have done their duty.It is now left to the people of Burkina Faso to take charge of their destiny.
