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Burkina Faso’s military junta will remain in power until 2029, officials said Saturday, shortly after the conclusion of a national dialogue on the transition back to democracy following the coup in 2022, Al Jazeera reported.

Army officials, civil society members and lawmakers met for what was initially a two-day national dialogue that would usher the country back to civilian rule.

The military seized control two years ago and had promised to hold elections in July 2024 to restore civilian rule.

Soon after the talks began, participants signed a new charter that would extend the transition back to democracy by 60 months from July.

The agreement will allow junta leader Ibrahim Traore to run for president when elections take place. It will also remove quotas for members of traditional parties for seats in parliament. Instead, the sole criterion for selecting lawmakers will be “patriotism.”

The charter also said that elections can take place earlier “if the security situation so permits.”

A number of political parties had boycotted the national dialogue and the new delay has prompted concerns about democratic backsliding in Western and Central Africa, a region that has experienced eight coups in the past four years.

Security forces in Burkina Faso have been fighting an armed rebellion since 2015 that has killed thousands and displaced millions.

The junta, which originally took over to address the security challenges, has struggled to curb the violence. About half of the country remains outside government control.

The military government has severed security ties with former colonial ruler France and has sought Russian support.