Source : Sahel weather January 2025

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Burkina Faso, like its two partners Mali and Niger, has finally withdrawn from ECOWAS as planned. Effective as of January 29, this act will have short- and medium-term consequences for the country and the region as a whole. Nevertheless, for the time being, citizens of the region will still be able to use ECOWAS administrative documents, which is good news for the free movement of people and goods. In the SSA countries, the federal passport was due to be put into circulation on January 29, as announced by General Goïta. The document formalized the divorce, which seems to have been well received by the population, including in Burkina Faso, where demonstrations of support took place. Thousands of people gathered in Ouagadougou to celebrate their country's exit from ECOWAS. On January 28, in the presence of the transitional authorities, demonstrators proudly carried placards bearing slogans such as "Down with ECOWAS", "Down with France" and "Long live ESA". Burkina Faso's head of diplomacy, Karamoko Traoré, took the opportunity to recall that the SSA was created "as a response to the need to move towards a real space for peoples, towards a real space for economic integration, solidarity and fraternity. In taking this step, our three Heads of State have taken the right step". It should be remembered that these countries are leaving ECOWAS but remaining in UEMOA. Is this to avoid economic consequences?

Meanwhile, on the international front, Emmanuel Macron's speech was the highlight of the month of January in the Sahel. The French president said that "African presidents have forgotten" to say "thank you" to France, prompting strong reactions from his counterparts, including the head of Burkina Faso's transitional government. Indeed, Captain Traoré loudly proclaimed that his French counterpart had insulted all Africans with his statement. In the meantime, the newly-elected Prime Minister is continuing his work on the security and economic fronts, as announced last December. Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo has set himself the objective of "Intensifying the war on terrorism, while opening up major development projects".

On the security front, calm is far from having returned to the country, if recent developments are anything to go by. On January 2, a "terrorist" attack caused significant loss of life, resulting in the death of five civilian army auxiliaries near the border with Ghana and Togo, according to security sources. These auxiliaries were volunteers for the defense of the homeland, a structure created to assist the army in the fight against terrorism, which is gaining ground.

In recent years, the country has suffered heavy loss of life as a result of terrorism, with 60% of related deaths occurring in sub-Saharan Africa (UN). According to the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations at the General Assembly on January 21, Burkina Faso leads the way in terms of the number of deaths caused by terrorist attacks. According to her, the data show "a staggering 68% increase". It is therefore imperative to reverse this trend in order to achieve the goal of reclaiming the territory. 

At the same time, Burkina Faso continues to lead the fight against the jihadists, at the cost of inestimable material and human losses. Military operations have driven back the terrorists in the north of the country, resulting in the recovery of significant war materiel. This act is the culmination of a series of tough raids in the field aimed at eradicating the terrorist threat and maintaining peace in certain "red" zones of the country. Another important act is the creation of three new Rapid Intervention Battalions (BIR) in the North and East of the country to intensify the fight against terrorism in these areas. In addition to this flagship measure, it is worth highlighting the effective participation in the creation of the AES army, made up of 5,000 men, in order to better face the threat together, especially in the Liptako-Gourma region.