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From the COP27 climate summit in Egypt to coups d'état in Burkina Faso and the French military withdrawal from Mali, FRANCE 24 takes a look at some of the news highlights from Africa this year.

La sous-région ouest africaine, située à l'extrémité sud du désert du Sahara, a récemment fait l'objet d'une attention particulière. Les principales raisons en sont la montée de l'extrémisme violent et ce qui semble être des manifestations de recul de la démocratie.

A forum bringing together political parties, social and religious groups and representatives of the security forces got underway in Burkina Faso on Friday, two weeks after a coup. But will it take into account the urgency to help the civilians on the frontline of the jihadist insurgency?

Just two weeks ago, 34-year-old Ibrahim Traore was unknown, even in his native Burkina Faso.

Political parties, social and religious groups and representatives of the security forces were gathering Friday to chart the next phase in Burkina Faso's future after the country's latest coup.

Captain Ibrahim Traore was appointed as president of Burkina Faso on Wednesday, according to an official statement, after the West African country's second coup in less than nine months.

Anti-French protesters waving Russian flags and shouting slogans against the West African ECOWAS block rallied in Burkina Faso's capital Ouagadougou on Tuesday as ECOWAS delegates arrived on a fact-finding mission following the country's second military coup this year.

Calm returned to Burkina Faso's capital on Monday after the country's military leader fled to neighbouring Togo following the second coup in less than nine months. His replacement, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, has promised that a new civilian or military transitional president will be appointed "before the end of the year".

North Africa analysts believe new leader Ibrahim Traoré may seek help from Moscow in fight against Islamic extremists