3 African presidents visit Burkina Faso to press military to return to civilian rule
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Burkina Faso Lt. Col. Issac Yacouba Zida, center, leaves a government building after meeting with political leaders in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014. International envoys tried Tuesday to resolve Burkina Faso's political crisis, with the specter of a power vacuum looming after the country's longtime president fled last week. (AP Photo/Theo Renaut) (The Associated Press)
The presidents of Nigeria, Senegal and Ghana are visiting Burkina Faso Wednesday as part of the international community's pressure on the country's military leaders to quickly return to civilian rule.
Opposition protests forced President Blaise Compaore to resign last week after 27 years in power. Burkina Faso's military then stepped in, designating Lt. Col. Isaac Yacouba Zida as the transitional leader. The international community wants the military to swiftly return the country to constitutional rule. On Monday, the African Union, representing 53 countries on the continent, gave Burkina Faso two weeks to do so or face sanctions.
Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan, Senegal's President Macky Sall and Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama are to meet Wednesday with Burkina Faso's opposition leaders, Zida and other stakeholders.