Ankara:The Burkinabe delegation, led by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Hermann Yirigouin Toé, engaged in consultations on October 20 and 21, 2026, in Ankara, Turkey. The purpose of these discussions was to strengthen bilateral cooperation in fields such as education, health, vocational training, research, and investment.
According to Burkina Information Agency, these exchanges were part of the first session of political consultations between Burkina Faso and Turkey. The delegation held meetings with several Turkish institutions, including the Maarif Foundation, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), the Council for Higher Education, the Ministry of Health, the Council for Foreign Economic Relations (DEIK), and the Ministry of National Education.
At the Maarif Foundation, discussions with Africa manager Anet BEY focused on expanding educational cooperation, including increasing scholarships for Burkinabe students and supporting vocational and technical training. The foundation has schools in Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso.
The Vice-President of TIKA, Dr. Yahya Coskun, discussed the agency's support for emergency medicine development in Burkina Faso. TIKA also pledged to enhance vocational and technical training starting in 2027, with hopes of opening an agency office in Ouagadougou.
Renewing the expired memorandum of understanding from 2024 was the focus at the Turkish Higher Education Council. Turkey committed to increasing Master's and Doctoral scholarships for Burkinabe students, with plans to prioritize Burkina Faso's needs for submission. This initiative will also enable Burkinabe researchers to apply for projects at Turkish research centers.
In the health sector, Turkish Deputy Minister of Health, Professor Nurullah OKUMUS, expressed continued support for organ transplantation efforts and the Kokologho pharmaceutical technology park project, which may attract Turkish investment. Agreements between Turkish public hospitals and the Burkinabe Ministry of Health were also discussed.
Economic discussions with DEIK, representing 4,000 Turkish companies, proposed organizing a business and investment forum in Burkina Faso. Turkish exports to Burkina Faso are expected to rise significantly from $122.24 million in 2023 to $177.84 million in 2025. Ambassador Toé commended DEIK for fostering business relationships and urged them to address commercial disputes to protect Burkinabe businesses.
DEIK's Vahit Oguz Cetin highlighted the importance of facilitating banking transactions and eliminating double taxation, issues currently addressed at the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) level. Joint ventures in agri-food, cold chain, textiles, solar energy, mining, and technical training were encouraged.
At the Ministry of National Education, the focus was on improving education quality within the Popular Progressive Revolution framework. Turkey showed interest in training teachers and administrators, sharing experiences, and creating twinning arrangements between Turkish and Burkinabe schools.
As part of the delegation's visit, Ambassador Toé and his team paid homage to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of the Republic of Turkey, by visiting his mausoleum to learn about Turkey's modern history.