Burkina Faso’s military leader sacks foreign minister

By James Tasamba

KIGALI, Rwanda (AA) – Burkina Faso’s military leader Capt. Ibrahim Traore on Sunday fired his foreign minister in a mini-reshuffle, according to a decree read on national television.

Jean Marie Traore Karamoko, the minister delegate for regional cooperation, was named as the new foreign minister, replacing Olivia Rouamba, who served in the position for about two years.

The sacking of Rouamba came as a surprise, according to analysts, because she was said to be in Traore's close circle.

Traore also named Stella Kabre, who until recently served as consul general of Burkina Faso in Milan, Italy, as the new regional cooperation minister.

Traore led a coup in September 2022 to become the West African country's new leader after ousting Paul Henri-Damiba, who had also come to power in January that year through an overthrow of then president, Roch Kabore.