Burkina Faso and Russia enter new phase of partnership – African state’s leader
Russia and Burkina Faso are entering a new phase of strategic cooperation, particularly in defense, education, and commerce, the African nation’s interim president, Ibrahim Traore, has said. Speaking to RT, the Burkinabe leader emphasized that collaboration between the two countries has significantly expanded across multiple sectors over the past two years. Traore noted that one of the most promising areas of cooperation is scientific education, especially in disciplines such as mathematics, physics, and chemistry. He also revealed that there is growing interest in Russian higher education among Burkinabe students, many of whom are already studying at universities across Russia. “I even asked that we increase the number of students here, perhaps through scholarships,” he stated. On the economic front, Traore explained that the relaunch of relations with Russia, which had significantly declined following the death of former Burkinabe President Captain Thomas Sankara, is already yielding practical benefits. Products such as mangoes, which previously passed through European intermediaries, are now being exported directly to Russia. Other goods, such as cotton, are expected to follow. He also underscored Russia’s role in supporting agricultural and domestic control over Burkina Faso’s mineral wealth, particularly through education. He credited ongoing collaboration with Russia’s Ministry of Education for helping train engineers and technicians to operate and maintain new industries. “Machines are what make the world go round,” he said, noting that Russia’s scientific capacity, from military to digital technologies, remains highly relevant for Burkina Faso’s development goals. Traore also described ongoing health support for internally displaced persons in Burkina Faso, citing previous wheat donations from Russia as an example of effective assistance. However, he noted that his country is now shifting from reliance to self-sufficiency. “We made a promise to President [Vladimir] Putin that we no longer want to be supplied with wheat because we will produce the wheat,” he stated. The Burkinabe interim president was among more than two dozen world leaders who attended the World War II Victory Day celebrations in Moscow’s Red Square on May 9, which featured thousands of troops and advanced weaponry. Traore met with Putin on the sidelines of the event to discuss security and counter-terrorism in the Sahel.
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