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Ivory Coast, Burkina Summit focuses on counter terrorism cooperation

Burkina Faso

The fight against terrorism took centre stage on Thursday at the 5th Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso Summit. The summit in Yamoussoukro also marked the first official visit by Burkina Faso president Christian Kaboré to Ivory Coast.

The two West African countries have both suffered jihadist attacks early this year; Ouagadougou in January where 30 people died and Grand-Bassam in March where 19 lives were lost.

Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, President of Burkina Faso said: “Following the attacks perpetrated in our countries, we are convinced that there is need to pool resources and means to counter terrorism. And I think there is good work already going on between interior ministers of our subregion, and must continue to support and encourage that.”

The summit, which is traditionally held annually was not held in 2015 when the two countries were in a diplomatic row.
Besides security issues, prospects of a highway construction from Yamoussoukro-Ouagadougou and also a railway line between the two countries will be discussed.

The relations between the two countries are old and heavily woven around political and economic planes. Some three million Burkinabes live in the Ivory Coast, according to Ivorian Institute of Statistics and Demography.

However a series of events had troubled the relations in recent years.

Former President of Burkina Faso Blaise Compaore, was one of the main supporters of Alassane Ouattara, has taken refuge in Ivory Coast where he lives in exile on Ivorian citizenship in February.

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