Burkina Faso, Russia discuss military cooperation

The Minister of Defense and Veteran Affairs of Burkina Faso Kassoum Coulibaly was in Moscow Tuesday (Nov. 07).

He met with the Defence minister of the Russian federation, and they agreed to strengthen defence ties.

Burkina's military rulers have been looking to diversify the country's international allies.

"Russian-Burkinabé relations are based solely on the principles of mutual respect and consideration of each other’s interests, and in recent years they have acquired positive dynamics," Russia's Sergey Shoigu said.

"I consider today’s meeting to be another step in the development of our friendly relations."

Burkinabe Kassoum Coulibaly hailed undergoing negotiations with Rusia and called them "a real practical phase".

On October 5 Coulibaly hosted Russia's vice-minister of Defense Iounous-Bek Evkourov in Ouagadougou. Both men held what Burkina Faso presidency called "working meetings and experience-sharing between ministers on the one hand, and specific officials from the General Staffs of the Armies of the two countries on the other, with the aim of strengthening the skills and capabilities of the National Armed Forces."

They also touched on cooperation in the "in the operational, economic, logistical, technological and training fields".