Ivorian leader spurns bid to arrest Speaker

Ivory Coast president Alassane Ouattara waves to supporters after his victory in the presidential election on October 28, 2015 in Abidjan. President Ouattara wants to use diplomatic channels to resolve the issue of Burkina Faso’s warrant of arrest against Ivorian House Speaker Guillaume Soro. PHOTO | ISSOUF SANOGO |

What you need to know:

  • In a presidential statement on Monday evening, President Ouattara said a diplomatic solution was possible in order to maintain the “secular friendship and fraternity that exists between our two countries”.
  • He expressed surprise that the Burkinabé authorities would opt for a warrant of arrest instead of resorting to “traditional and customary ties that unite our two countries and people.”
  • Burkina Faso issued the arrest warrant after allegedly uncovering links between Mr Soro and September’s military coup in Ouagadougou.

Cote d’Ivoire’s President Alassane Ouattara wants to use diplomatic channels to resolve the issue of Burkina Faso’s warrant of arrest against Ivorian House Speaker Guillaume Soro.

In a presidential statement on Monday evening, President Ouattara said a diplomatic solution was possible in order to maintain the “secular friendship and fraternity that exists between our two countries”.

He expressed surprise that the Burkinabé authorities would opt for a warrant of arrest instead of resorting to “traditional and customary ties that unite our two countries and people.”

“The warrant of arrest was issued in flagrant disregard of the rules, customs and tradition governing the subject,” said the Ivorian leader, who is a close ally of Mr Soro.

COUP LINKS

Burkina Faso issued the arrest warrant after allegedly uncovering links between Mr Soro and September’s military coup in Ouagadougou.

In the aftermath of the failed coup, the authorities in Burkina Faso stumbled onto a recorded telephone conversation between Mr Soro and the former Burkinabé Foreign Affairs minister, Mr Djibril Bassolé, allegedly discussing ways of facilitating the coup.

The voices on the recording were subsequently authenticated as Mr Soro’s and Mr Bassolé’s.

Mr Bassolé is presently in detention in connection with the coup which was spearheaded by General Gilbert Diendéré. The latter is also in detention.

Mr Soro is a popular figure in Burkina Faso ever since the rebellion he headed against the Laurent Gbagbo regime.

The rebellion divided the country into two - north and south.

The Ivorian owns significant property in Burkina Faso including a private villa in the capital, Ouagadougou.

TRIALS

By all indications, the foiled coup was intended to abort plans by the new government to proceed with the trial of the people, including deposed president Blaise Compaoré, linked to the 1987 assassination of revered leader Thomas Sankara.

There is an outstanding international arrest warrant issued by Burkina Faso against Mr Compaoré, who is presently in exile in Cote d’Ivoire.

Abidjan “is shocked that this (warrant) was issued with disregard of the rules and customs in this area," the Ivorian presidency said.

Cote d’Ivoire will seek to “solve this issue through diplomatic channels, respecting the agreements that bind us,” the statement added.

The putsch in Burkina Faso on September 17 was staged by crack troops from a presidential guard loyal to former head of state Compaore, who was ousted in a popular uprising 2014.

The operation was thwarted by street protesters and support from the army.