MOSCOW, November 2 (RIA Novosti) — The United Nations envoy for West Africa said that sanctions could be imposed on Burkina Faso if the military held on to power and did not give way for a constitutional transition of power following President Blaise Compaore's resignation, RTE reported Sunday.
"He [Colonel Isaac Zida] said he will reflect and try to work with the UN, African Union and the Economic Community of West African States and to find an acceptable agreement which conforms to the constitution," UN envoy Mohamed Chambas was quoted as saying by the news outlet while speaking at a press conference.
"We want to avoid having to impose sanctions on Burkina Faso," he added.
On Friday, the ousted 63-year old president formally resigned following two days of violent protests against his attempt to extend his 27-year long rule.
Following Compaore’s resignation, Col. Zida on Saturday announced that he was assuming power as a transitional leader. But the country’s opposition and civil society leaders held protests in the capital Ouagadougou against the military takeover.
The violent protests killed about 30 people and injured a hundred in the land-locked West-African country which holds a population of about 16.93 million as of 2013, according to World Bank.
