Ankara:Burkina Faso and the Republic of Turkey conducted their first political consultation session on October 20 in Ankara, focusing on enhancing bilateral cooperation, combating terrorism, and addressing regional and multilateral issues.

According to Burkina Information Agency, the Burkinabe delegation was led by Ambassador Hermann Yirigouin To, Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while the Turkish delegation was headed by Ambassador Volkan Isikci, Director General for West and Central Africa at the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The discussions explored various cooperation areas, including education, vocational and technical training, health, agriculture, industrial development, livestock farming, mining, and energy. In health, the Burkinabe delegation expressed gratitude for Turkey's support in strengthening national skills for kidney transplants and advocated for an emergency medical visa for Burkinabe patients.

Ambassador Hermann Yirigouin To highlighted the geopolitical changes in the central Sahel due to the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) and encouraged Turkey to form partnerships with these countries, emphasizing the need for international solidarity against terrorism.

Ambassador Volkan Isikci reiterated Turkey's commitment to supporting Burkina Faso in its security and sovereignty efforts and expressed Turkey's interest in a defense and security agreement between the countries. Both parties agreed to consider a partnership between their diplomatic institutes and leverage economic and trade potentials.

The consultations concluded with Ambassador Hermann Yirigouin To praising the "frank exchanges" and highlighting the constructive dialogue as a foundation for future cooperation. He also looked forward to the fourth Joint Cooperation Commission between Burkina Faso and Turkey in 2027 in Ouagadougou.