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| Burkina Faso's military ruler Capt Ibrahim Traoré attended a Russia-Africa summit in July (© Getty Images via BBC) |
Russia has reopened its embassy in Burkina Faso after being closed for over 30 years. Burkina Faso, a close ally of former colonial power France, has been shifting towards Russia since the military seized power in a coup in 2022. The junta has expelled French diplomats and shut France's military base in the country, while strengthening military and diplomatic ties with Russia. France condemned the coup in Burkina Faso, as well as in neighboring Mali and Niger.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced plans to reopen the embassy during the Russia-Africa summit in St Petersburg in July. The embassy was closed in 1992 as Moscow reduced its involvement in Africa following the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union. Burkina Faso's Defence Minister, Col Kassoum Coulibaly, held talks with Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu in Moscow last month. Burkina Faso has been battling an Islamist insurgency alongside Mali and Niger, and has called in Russia's Wagner mercenary group to help fight the militants while expelling French troops. Burkina Faso's junta has denied allegations of bringing in Wagner.
In other areas of cooperation, Burkina Faso signed a deal with Russia in July for the construction of a nuclear power plant to increase its energy supply. Last month, Russia sent a team of doctors to help Burkina Faso deal with deadly outbreaks of dengue fever and chikungunya.
