Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (left) with Burkina Faso Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré during a meeting in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, 4 June 2024. Photo: Press service of the Russian Foreign Ministry / AP
Burkina Faso’s Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré praised cooperation with Russia, which he considers more suitable for his country than ties with France. After a coup d’état in 2022, the new government of Burkina Faso severed relations with Paris and instead became closer to Moscow, which provided military instructors to help fight Islamist insurgents, Radio Libertyreports.
At the Russian-African summit in Sochi, Traore said that Russia is “a partner with whom we can make progress”, adding that there are no concerns about possible military dependence on Moscow. He stressed that the Russian proposal is more suitable for the people of Burkina Faso than cooperation with former partners.
The minister also noted that Russia, like Burkina Faso, has suffered from “Western clichés” shaped by other partners. The Russian narrative against neocolonialism and Western hegemony resonates with many African leaders.
Relations between Burkina Faso and France, the former colonial metropolis, have deteriorated significantly since the coup. Instead, Moscow, seeking to increase its influence in Africa, is actively providing military support to countries fighting Islamist violence.
Traoré assured that Burkina Faso clearly understands its goals and the direction of cooperation with new partners, stressing the independence of the country’s foreign policy: “We know what we want, where we are going and how we want to work with new partners.”
