Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty met with Burkina Faso leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, on Tuesday and delivered a written message from President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi aimed at strengthening economic and security cooperation, the Egyptian foreign ministry said.
In a statement, the ministry said Abdelatty conveyed Sisi’s greetings and stressed that his visit, part of a multi-nation West Africa tour, was focused on boosting economic, investment, and trade ties.
The foreign minister highlighted that he was accompanied by a high-level delegation of 30 Egyptian business leaders from public and private sectors, and affirmed the readiness of Egyptian companies to support development projects led by President Traoré, especially in construction, energy, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and textiles.
On the security front, Abdelatty discussed the challenges Burkina Faso faces from the spread of terrorist groups in the Lake Chad and Sahel regions. He offered Egypt’s expertise in counter-terrorism, outlining its comprehensive approach which extends beyond security to include developmental, economic, and intellectual dimensions.
Abdelatty also pointed to the important role of Cairo’s Al-Azhar in spreading moderate Islamic values through its educational and religious mission in Burkina Faso, and the continued acceptance of Burkinabe students at Al-Azhar University.
During the meeting, the minister also expressed Egypt’s appreciation for Burkina Faso’s support for the Egyptian and African candidate for the post of UNESCO Director-General, and said he looked forward to continued mutual support in international organisations.
For his part, President Traoré asked Abdelatty to convey his greetings and appreciation to President Sisi, praising Egypt’s historical role in supporting African nations. He expressed his eagerness to open new avenues of cooperation and his readiness to provide all necessary facilities to enhance the Egyptian economic and investment presence in his country.
