Born August 18, 1942 in Ouagadougou, Michel Kafando followed his secondary education at Collège Jean-Baptiste de la Salle (1956-1963) where he obtained his BEPC and a tank "former science" as it was then. Graduate studies will lead to the Dakar (1964-1968),Bordeaux (1968-1970), Paris (1970-1972) and Geneva (1972). Public License law license of Political Science, Diploma of the European Centre Staffing Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in hand, he will join the Department of Foreign Affairs where, after making his debut as a diplomat, he was successively Director of International Cooperation (1976-1978), Director of International Relations (1978-1979 ), Director of International Organizations (1979-1981), adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs - in this case Moussa Kargougou - for Legal Affairs and International Cooperation (1978-1980). Kargougou was a teacher trained at the Ecole Normale William Ponty in Dakar engaged in the ranks of the UDV-RDA; he was a minister in 1958 at the time of "Maurice", but was brutally excluded from the government in October 1963. It is the general Sangoulé Lamizana that January 13, 1977, will make his Foreign Minister on the occasion of the establishment of a government of national unity. It is in this context that Kafando will learn the secrets of the universe voltaic policy.
On 25 November 1980, Col. Saye Zerbo power will displace the general Lamizana. The government formed in December 7, 1980, the Lieutenant-Colonel Felix Tientarboum to become the number 1 with the portfolio of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, September 30, 1982, Kafondo. - Permanent Representative of Upper Volta to the United Nations since 1981 - who will replace him (but it is only number 6 of government). A few weeks later, November 7, 1982, a military coup will reverse Saye Zerbo. The CSP replaces CMRPN. Jean-Baptiste Ouedraogo finds himself head of state Kafando will keep its portfolio and become the number 3 of the government.; it is, it seems to me the only "survivor" of the previous government. He will retain his position in the government formed June 4, 1983 which will be, then the number 2 key man behind the plan, the commander Moné Harouna Tarnagba, Minister of Interior and Security. Meanwhile, from January 19 to May 17, 1983,Captain Thomas Sankara has been appointed prime minister (he was already Secretary of State for Information, September 1981-April 1982, at the time of Saye Zerbo) .
Kafando will be considered one of those who have caused the arrest of Sankara (officially for its connections with Muammar Gaddafi who had landed in Ouagadougou April 30, 1983, a few months after the stay in Sirte Sankara). I remember that John Baptiste Lingani, then Permanent Secretary of the CSP, was arrested along with Sankara (they will be released May 31, 1983 and former political leaders: Maurice Yaméogo Sangoulé Lamizana and Saye Zerbo) while Captain Henri Zongo was considering making Camp William pole resistance and Blaise Compaoré, who escaped the trap that he was tense in Ouagadougou had regained Po.This is the famous "17 May 1983" that the revolutionary left qualify "new coup" Guy Penne ("Mr. Africa" Mitterrand) is, at that time, on an official visit to Ouaga! Kafando, in charge of foreign affairs, will be considered a promoter of the "coup" in the name of "economic liberalism" and "anti-Marxist-Leninist communism." On 4 August 1983, Sankara, Compaore , Lingani Zongo and seize power. Hama Arba Diallo (future presidential candidate in 2010) became Minister of Foreign Affairs (External Relations in the name then) in the government formed by the NRC Sankara August 24, 1983.
Kafando is "out" while the "Revolution" strengthen its diplomatic positions. We will find him soon on the banks of the Sorbonne. There is preparing a doctoral thesis which has about "States of the Council of the Entente (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Niger, Togo) and the countries of the East: the ideological hostility diplomatic opening. " We are then in 1990. Ouagadougou, Compaore took over Sankara; the "Grinding" is on, leading to the establishment of "democratic" institutions (the first congress of the Popular Front will be held from 1 to 4 March 1990) and the Berlin Wall is falling. This means that reflection Kafando is in the air. One of the times that will be favorable to him and will allow him to return to the front of the stage, but not diplomatic policy (what the UN is at the confluence of two areas): April 15, 1998, he presents his credentials to the Secretary General of the United Nations as an ambassador, permanent representative of Burkina Faso. Thus, it has exercised the same function for Upper Volta (1981-1982) and for Burkina Faso (1998-2011 ). Beautiful performance!
In New York, it takes over Rimwanguiya Gaetan Ouedraogo. 1998 was a magical year for Burkina Faso, which organizes two major continental events: the African Cup of Nations (CAN) football and the Summit of Heads of State of the OAU. Chairman of the Pan-African organization, Compaore will speak in Le Figaro (Saturday, 6-Sunday, June 7, 1998) on which are his ambitions for the OAU, Africa and the international relations of Africa; it will, somehow, the roadmap Kafando (much more than "The paths of hope," the booklet published by Compaoré in August 1998, in terms of diplomacy, does not come out of the great general) . Kafando will land in New York at a time when, ten years after the accession to power of Compaore, Burkina Faso expects to emerge on the continental and sub-regional international scene. But "Zongo" will put a stop to this ambition.
It then points out, in Paris as in New York and Washington that Compaore is "Marxist revolution", support for Charles Taylor's friendship with Gaddafi, etc. Not enough to inspire America and the United Nations. It will, as in New York and Washington, the representatives of Burkina Faso (which will never be "revolutionary" former, on the contrary, is proof Kafando) multiply the efforts to restore the Burkina Faso international visibility and . The implication of diplomatic credibility Compaore in resolving Togolese and Ivorian crises (after management Tuareg and Chad files) will change the situation: October 16, 2007, Burkina Faso was elected non-permanent member of the Security Council for 2008 -2009 and 22-23 April 2008, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, will make an official visit to Burkina Faso.
Jean-Pierre BEJOT
The Diplomatic Dispatch
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