Russia reopened its embassy in Burkina Faso, which it had closed in 1992, pursuing a rapprochement with this Sahelian country ruled by a military regime since last year.
“Today we are witnessing the ceremony for the resumption of activities at the Russian embassy in Ouagadougou,” said Alexei Saltykov, the Russian ambassador to Ivory Coast accredited to Burkina Faso, at the reopening of the chancery .
The Russian diplomat, who until now resided in Abidjan but has made regular trips to Ouagadougou in recent months, added that he would initially head the diplomatic mission in Burkina until an ambassador was appointed by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The ceremony was attended by Burkina Faso’s Prime Minister, Appolinaire Joachimson Kyélèm de Tambéla, Burkina Faso’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, other members of the government and the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Burkina Faso, according to an AFP journalist.
The Burkina Embassy in Russia was reopened in 2013, after being closed in 1996.