UN chief strongly condemns reported violence against civilians in Burkina Faso
| Publisher | UN News Service |
| Publication Date | 21 September 2015 |
| Cite as | UN News Service, UN chief strongly condemns reported violence against civilians in Burkina Faso, 21 September 2015, available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/560112c640c.html [accessed 21 October 2017] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
21 September 2015 - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today strongly condemned reports of violence against civilians in Burkina Faso and urged the country's defense and security forces, especially the Presidential Guard, to exercise restraint and respect the human rights of all citizens.
Meanwhile, Mr. Ban's Special Representative for West Africa, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, is coordinating with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union and other international partners to support and safeguard the transition in Burkina Faso.
On Saturday, the UN envoy met with Burkinabé President Michel Kafando at his residence, as well as the Chairman of ECOWAS, President Sall, and other regional leaders.
Today, Mr. Chambas is in Abuja, Nigeria, ahead of the ECOWAS Extraordinary Summit that is scheduled for Tuesday to discuss the situation in Burkina Faso.
The Secretary-General is following closely the ongoing regional mediation efforts towards the resolution of the crisis and spoke with Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade over the weekend.
Mr. Ban reiterated his demand for the swift resumption of the country's political transition in accordance with Burkina Faso's Constitution and Transitional Charter, saying "those responsible for the coup d'etat and its consequences must be held accountable," his spokesman told reporters at UN Headquarters.
The Secretary-General is following with "great concern" the situation in Burkina Faso and strongly condemns reports of violence against civilians, which has resulted in an unconfirmed number of deaths and injuries, said spokesman Stéphane Dujarric.
