The Government of the Republic of Liberia fully endorses the outcomes of the Extraordinary Summit of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government held on Tuesday, September 22, 2015 in Abuja, Nigeria, which include the categorical condemnation of the overthrow of the Interim Government of Burkina Faso headed by Interim President Michel Kafando by members of the Presidential Guard.

The Government of Liberia joins ECOWAS in calling for the immediate reinstatement of transitional institutions in Burkina Faso and Michel Kafando as Interim President. The GOL welcomes the decision by the Authority of ECOWAS to call for the unconditional release of all persons that were detained by the coup leaders.

The Liberian Government stresses that the coup d'etat in Burkina Faso runs contrary to the cherished principles and provisions on Democracy, Elections and Governance as enshrined in various acts, protocols and resolutions of   ECOWAS, the African Union (AU) and the UN.

The Liberian Government is particularly heartened by the decision of the ECOWAS Authority to urgently dispatch a high-level committee to Burkina Faso comprising ECOWAS Chairman, Senegalese President Macky Sall along with the Presidents of Nigeria, Ghana, Niger, Nigeria, Togo, and Benin to ensure the re-instatement of Transitional President Kafando and express the solidarity of the ECOWAS Community with the people of Burkina Faso.

The Liberian Government hopes that the convening of national dialogues among all political and civil society stakeholders of Burkina Faso aimed at reaching consensus on the holding of free, fair, and inclusive elections would  form a major and urgent part of the mandate of the Transitional Government of Interim President Kafando after its restoration to power as envisaged by the ECOWAS Authority.

On the prevailing security situation in Burkina Faso, the Liberian Government calls on all parties to the conflict to fully cooperate with the mediation efforts of ECOWAS and to refrain from taking actions that will lead to the escalation of tension in the country.