A delegation from Russia had a meeting with Burkina Faso’s interim president Ibrahim Traore, where they discussed potential military cooperation, according to a statement from the Burkinabe presidency. The visit, led by Russian Deputy Defence Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, was a follow-up to discussions between Traore and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg in July.
Since the country expelled French troops in February, there has been speculation that Burkina Faso would strengthen its security ties with Russia, similar to neighboring Mali where Russian Wagner mercenaries are active. The meeting focused on areas of cooperation in the military field, including the training of Burkinabe officer cadets and officers at various levels, including pilots in Russia, as mentioned in the statement.
The statement did not clarify whether Russian military trainers would be sent to Burkina Faso. This visit may indicate that Moscow is aiming to strengthen its influence in Africa following the demise of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner Group mercenary organization. Yevgeny Prigozhin had established a network of interests in numerous African countries and beyond.
(Reporting by Thiam Ndiaga; Writing by Alessandra Prentice; Editing by Leslie Adler and Grant McCool)
Credit: The Star : News Feed
