# Blaise Compaoré

Blaise Compaoré

human| Ein sex anaa gender | male  |
| Ein country of citizenship | Republic of Upper Volta, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast  |
| Name in native language | Blaise Compaoré  |
| Name wey dem give am | Blaise  |
| Family name | Compaoré  |
| Ein date of birth | 3 February 1951  |
| Place dem born am | Ouagadougou  |
| Spouse | Chantal Compaoré  |
| Languages edey speak, rep anaa sign | Mooré, French  |
| Convicted of | murder  |
| Ein occupation | politician, statesperson  |
| Position ehold | chairperson of the Organisation of African Unity, President of Burkina Faso, Minister of National Defence of Bukina Faso, Chairperson of ECOWAS, Chairperson of ECOWAS  |
| Political party ein member | Congress for Democracy and Progress, Union of Burkinabé Communists, Organization for Popular Democracy – Labour Movement  |
| Candidacy in election | 2010 Burkinabé presidential election, 1991 Burkinabè presidential election, 1998 Burkinabé presidential election, 2005 Burkinabé presidential election  |
| Religion anaa worldview | Catholicism  |
| Military, police or special rank | captain  |
| Participated in conflict | First Liberian Civil War  |
| Member of | Académie des sciences d'outre-mer  |
| Award e receive | National Order of Burkina Faso, National Order of Merit, Gold Olympic Order  |

**Blaise Compaoré** (French: [blɛz kɔ̃paɔʁe]; born 3 February 1951) be a Burkinabé politician den former military officer wey serve as de second presido of Burkina Faso from 1987 til dem overthrow ein government insyd 2014. De longest-serving presido insyd Burkinabé history, na Compaoré previously serve as de Minister of Justice from 1985 to 1987.

Na dem born den raise am insyd Ziniaré, Compaoré join de Burkina Faso Armed Forces (dem then know as Upper Voltan Armed Forces) at de age of 20 insyd 1971 wer na he rise thru de ranks. Na Compaoré be a close associate of ein predecessor den de country ein first Presido, Thomas Sankara, wey na he appoint Compaoré as Minister of Justice insyd 1985. Na dem see de pair as close allies til Compaoré lead a coup d'état during wich na dem kill Sankara two years later insyd 1987. Aged 36 wen assuming office, na Compaoré be de third youngest Burkinabé presido, after Ibrahim Traoré den Sankara.

After taking office, na he introduce a policy of 'rectification', overturning de leftist policies wey Sankara pursue. Insyd 1989, na he found de Organization for Popular Democracy – Labour Movement (ODP–MT), wich merge plus twelve oda political parties make dem create de Congress for Democracy and Progress (CDP) insyd 1996. Compaoré win elections wey na dem no consider free den fair insyd 1991, 1998, 2005, den 2010. Compaoré ein attempt make he amend de constitution to extend ein 27-year term lead to de 2014 Burkinabé uprising, leaving am make he resign den flee to de Ivory Coast. Insyd April 2022, na dem sentence am in absentia to life imprisonment after dem find am guilty of complicity insyd Sankara ein murder.

Compaoré ein legacy be complex, plus sam dey credit am for stability den development, while odas dey criticize ein records on human rights, corruption den wealth inequality.

## Early career

Na dem born Compaoré insyd Ziniaré, Upper Volta on 3 February 1951. Na ein poppie be a veteran of de Second World War. He study at a Catholic school insyd Fada N'gourma, followed by a Lycée insyd Ouagadougou. Na ein mommie die suddenly wen na he be 15, followed by de death of ein poppie several years later. Na Compaoré subsequently cam be very close to de family of Thomas Sankara, wey na ein poppie Joseph treat am as ein own son.

## Honors

* Guinea:
	+ Grand Cross of de National Order of Merit (17 July 2014)
* Mali:
	+ Grand Cross of de National Order of Mali (August 2013)
* Taiwan:
	+ Grand Cordon of de Order of Brilliant Jade (July 1994)

* Peterson, Brian (2021). *Thomas Sankara: A Revolutionary in Cold War Africa*. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0253053763.

## Read further

* Guion, Jean R. (1991). *Blaise Compaoré: Realism and Integrity: Portrait of the Man Behind Rectification in Burkina Faso*. Paris: Berger-Levrault International. ISBN 2701310008.

* "Burkina Faso protests: Compaore's 27 years as president". BBC News. 31 October 2014. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
* Pascal Drouhaud interviews Blaise Compaoré
* Reporters Without Borders, Burkina Faso 2004 Annual Report
* IFEX: Monitoring media freedom in Burkina Faso