After a 31-year hiatus, Russia has formally reopened its embassy in the former French colony of Burkina Faso. This action is in line with shifting geopolitical dynamics, as many Francophone African countries are moving farther away from what they see as Paris’s exploitative colonial influence.
Prime Minister Apollinaire Joachim Kyelem de Tambela of Burkina Faso, Foreign Affairs Minister Karamoko Jean Marie Traore, Russian Ambassador to Ivory Coast Alexei Saltykov, and delegates from other diplomatic missions in the West African country were present at the diplomatic ceremony.
The recent reopening ceremony in Ouagadougou saw the Russian envoy for Cote d’Ivoire take part, following the closure and relocation of the Burkina Faso embassy in 1992. Saltykov stressed that the two countries’ bilateral cooperation in political and economic fields had persisted despite the physical absence. The resumption of Russian embassy operations was welcomed by Burkina Faso’s Foreign Minister Traoré as a sign of the strong ties that have grown over the past few years, underscoring the close friendship that exists between the people of Burkina Faso and Russia.
Russia promised to contribute a significant 25,000 tons of wheat to help address the humanitarian crisis in Burkina Faso as part of their renewed engagement. Furthermore, Russia pledged to provide security and military training to Burkina Faso in order to aid in the country’s fight against terrorism.
