In a clandestine rendezvous held on Friday, Burkina Faso’s Minister of Defense, General Kassoum Coulibaly, convened with his Ivorian counterpart, Téné Birahima Ouattara. Emerging from the meeting, both delegations exuded optimism, hopeful for an enhanced relationship between their countries.
Nestled in the border town of Niangoloko, the encounter remained veiled in secrecy, according to Ivorian sources.
Post-meeting, the two officials appeared buoyant, emphasizing the “fraternity” underpinning their nations. “We aspire to chart a new course in combating terrorism and various border-related illicit activities,” remarked General Kassoum Coulibaly, Burkina Faso’s Minister of National Defense. Meanwhile, Téné Birahima Ouattara, the Ivorian Defense Minister, affirmed, “We thoroughly reviewed all aspects of our bilateral relations,” refraining from divulging specifics.
Discussion likely encompassed the suspended joint border patrols, halted for several months, as well as incidents such as the September apprehension of two Ivorian gendarmes from the Bouna squadron (strayed into a clandestine gold mining site on Burkina Faso’s side) and, more recently in March, the detention of a Burkinabe soldier and civilian accomplice by Côte d’Ivoire.
“Whenever such occurrences arise, we pool our resources to address them,” elucidated Amadou Coulibaly, Ivorian Government Spokesperson, earlier in the week, hinting at a promising resolution to these issues.