Former foreign minister Michel Kafando has been appointed transitional president of Burkina Faso. This is seen as a step towards returning the West African country to democracy in the wake of a brief military takeover.
Long-time president Blaise Compaore was toppled on October 31th following mass protests and was replaced a day later by Lieut Col Isaac Zida.
Mr Kafando will name a prime minister to appoint a 25-member government, but will be barred from standing at elections planned for late next year. “The committee has just designated me to guide temporarily the destiny of our country. This is more than an honour. It’s a true mission which I will take with the utmost seriousness,” Mr Kafando told a 23-strong committee and journalists.
The committee, drawn from the army, traditional and religious groups, civil society and the political opposition, selected him from among five candidates after a closed-door meeting that began on Sunday and went into the early hours, witnesses said.
The African Union gave Mr Zida two weeks to re-establish civilian rule or face sanctions and on Saturday he restored the constitution suspended when Mr Compaore was overthrown.
Mr Compaore was a regional power broker and a Western ally against Islamist militants, but many opposed his efforts to change the constitution that would have allowed him to stand for re-election next year and extend his 27-year rule.