Burkina Faso Prime Minister Paul Kaba Thieba stood down on Friday alongside his entire Cabinet but gave no reason for the move.
However sources told French news agency AFP that the country’s president Roch Marc Christian Kabore seeks to reposition the leadership of the landlocked West African country, which reportedly is facing increased jihadist attacks and hostage taking.
“The Prime Minister submitted his resignation as well as that of his government and the president accepted the resignation while expressing his gratitude to Thieba and all his ministers for their commitment to the service of the nation,” reads in part the statement from Kabore.
Thieba – an economist by profession – had held his position since January 2016 when he was appointed by Kabore.
Critics of the government have been calling for Kabore’s resignation and that of his security ministers, following the recent death of a Canadian geologist and high profile disappearances of two other foreign nationals since December 2018.
Media reports suggest that jihadist raids began in northern Burkina Faso in 2015 and have now spread to the east near the border with Togo and Benin.
