The Government of South Africa condemns the coup d’état in Burkina Faso and calls on the military to return to their barracks and restore democracy.

The South African Government agrees with the views of the Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS) that soldiers should return to barracks and utilise dialogue with the authorities to resolve all problems. There can never be a military solution to issues of this nature, dialogue and negotiation are the only means of resolving conflict and arriving at lasting resolutions.

Loss of lives must be avoided at all costs and all stakeholders should commit to dialogue.

The South African government strongly rejects unlawful seizure of power by any group, or individual as this reverses democracy and development and retards the realisation of Africa’s aspiration for a better Africa as set out in our Agenda 2063.