The United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has called on military juntas in Burkina Faso, Guinea and Mali to ensure a swift return to civilian rule.

Speaking after meeting with Senegalese President, Macky Sall in Dakar, he said they have agreed on the need to keep talking to the de facto authorities in all three countries so as to get a swift return to constitutional order.

Burkina Faso, Guinea and Mali have been struggling with a militant insurgency in the Sahel region, have recently experienced military coups.