Ibrahim Traore, the new military commander of Burkina Faso, has pledged to respect the timetable for the transition to democracy agreed by his predecessor with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Traore’s remarks came after meeting with a delegation from the economic group that traveled to the country to meet with the military junta that came to power last week in the West African nation’s second coup this year.

Traore said Burkina Faso would “respect the existing agreement” agreed with ECOWAS in July to return to constitutional order within 24 months.

He added that his country would fulfill its international and related obligations, especially in the field of human rights protection, and would cooperate with the bloc’s evaluation mechanisms regarding the progress made in this regard.

Former Niger President Mohamed Youssef, ECOWAS mediator and head of the group’s delegation, said he was satisfied with the discussions.

Traore led a coup that toppled warlord Paul-Henri Damiba, who had seized power in an earlier coup in January, and ECOWAS promised to restore civilian rule by July 2024.