OUAGADOUGOU: A Russian delegation has held talks with Burkina Faso’s leader Ibrahim Traore at a meeting that included talks on likely military cooperation, the Burkinabe presidency said on Thursday.
According to a statement issued by the Burkinabe presidency, the trip, led by Russian Deputy Minister for Defense Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, was a follow-up to dialogues between Russian President Putin and Traore at the Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg in July.
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The talks addressed “sectors of cooperation (which) mainly concern the defense domain, including the training of Burkinabe officers and cadets at all levels, including pilots in Russia,” the statement maintained.
According to Reuters, the trip could be a further sign that Russia is seeking to increase its influence in Africa.
