Mahama To Attend Swearing-In Of New Burkinabe President

President John Dramani Mahama will fly to Ouagadougou on Friday for the swearing-in ceremony of the new President of the Transition in Burkina Faso, His Excellency Mr. Michel Kafando. On Wednesday, November 5, President Mahama, in his capacity as Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Authority of Heads of State and Government, led a high-level delegation including President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan of Nigeria and President Macky Sall of Senegal to Ouagadougou, where they held discussions with all Burkinabe political stakeholders. On behalf of ECOWAS, President Mahama pushed for the swift and smooth formation of a civilian-led transitional administration that ensures a return to peace, stability, constitutional governance and a state of normalcy. The transition government, headed by Mr. Kafando, will lead the country until the conduct of national elections originally scheduled for November 2015. Following massive protests in Burkina Faso, ex-President Blaise Compaore was forced to resign after attempting to extend his 27-year rule by amending the constitution. This infuriated Burkinabes who staged a three-day protest and set fire to the country�s Parliament while legislators were in the process to amending the constitution. Lt Col Zida subsequently declared himself the leader of Burkina Faso on November 1.