Adis Ababa: The African Union on Saturday called for a "civilian-led and consensual transition" in Burkina Faso after a violent uprising toppled president Blaise Compaore.
African Union chief Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said in a statement that such a transition would "not only be consistent with the legitimate aspirations of the people of Burkina Faso for change and the deepening of democracy, but would also facilitate the mobilisation of the support necessary for a successful way out of the crisis".
She also called on the country`s youth to remain clam and urged "leaders of the defence and security forces to refrain from any acts or statements that may lead to further instability in Burkina Faso".
She urged "political stakeholders and civil society in Burkina Faso to work together in a spirit of consensus and responsibility, in order to agree on a civilian-led transition that would culminate, as soon as possible, in the holding of free, fair and transparent elections."
Following the departure of Compaore, young army officer Isaac Zida, declared himself in interim charge of the landlocked west African nation and on Saturday the military threw its weight behind him.
However opposition parties and civil society groups, who have called for a mass rally in the capital Ouagadougou on Sunday, have called for a democratic solution to the crisis.
But opposition and civil society leaders warned against a military takeover.
