Political Consultations between Burkina Faso and The Republic 0f Turkey: Wide-Ranging Consultations to Strengthen Cooperation

During their stay in Ankara for the first session of political consultations between Burkina Faso and the Republic, the Burkinabe delegation led by the Comrade Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Hermann Yirigouin TOE, conducted wide-ranging consultations on October 20 and 21, 2026 with numerous figures within various Turkish state structures.

Thus, the delegation visited in turn the Maarif Foundation, the Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), the Higher Education Information Council, the Ministry of Health, the Council for External Economic Relations (DEIK), and the Ministry of National Education.

At the MAARIF Foundation, Ambassador Hermann Yirigouin TOE and his delegation held discussions with Anet BEY, Head of Africa at the MAARIF Foundation, assisted by colleagues.

He welcomed the signing of an establishment and management agreement with the foundation, which already owns schools in Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso, and the awarding of scholarships for Burkinabe students.

She also requested the foundation's support for increasing the number of these scholarships and for support in the areas of education and vocational and technical training.

MAARIF agreed to all of these requests. The two parties also discussed opportunities for expanding the foundation's activities in Burkina Faso.

At the Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), the Turkish development agency founded in 1992, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was received by Dr. Yahya Coskun, Vice President of the institution. TIKA has numerous achievements in Burkina Faso.

Among other things, she supported the development of emergency medicine with the SAMU (Emergency Medical Service).

The Agency expressed its support for a review of the project for its implementation. For 2027, it committed to providing support to Burkina Faso in the area of ​​vocational and technical training, in line with the country's endogenous development objective.

The Burkinabe delegation also expressed the wish that a TIKA office could be opened soon in Ouagadougou.

At the Higher Education Council, discussions between Burkinabe and Turkish representatives focused primarily on the issue of renewing the 2024 memorandum of understanding, which sets out the conditions for cooperation in academic and university matters and which has now expired.

From the outset, Burkina Faso expressed its commitment to preserving the existing agreements, maintaining this cooperation, and strengthening it. The Turkish Council for Higher Education also supports this renewal and promises to increase the number of scholarships for Master's and Doctoral programs for Burkinabe students.

The Turkish side stated that it was open to any proposals for improving our cooperation within the framework of the new agreement. A prioritized list of Burkina Faso's needs will be sent to Turkey immediately.

Researchers from Burkina Faso will also be able to access and apply to the project bank of Turkish research centers.

At the Ministry of Health, the Burkinabe delegation was received by the Vice-Minister, Professor Nurullah OKUMUS.

Ambassador Hermann Yirigouin TOE praised the dynamism of cooperation between our two countries in the field of health, with the success of the first kidney transplant in Burkina Faso as a concrete achievement.

The Turkish Deputy Minister expressed his country's commitment to continuing its support for Burkina Faso in organ transplantation. This support will take the form of training and skills development for trainers, keeping pace with evolving knowledge in the field.

He also expressed support for facilitating agreements between Turkish public hospitals and the Burkinabe Ministry of Health as part of deepening health cooperation.

Professor Nurullah OKUMUS expressed interest in the Kokologho pharmaceutical technopole project, which could offer investment opportunities to Turkish companies.

At the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK), which represents 4,000 Turkish companies, discussions led to a proposal to hold a business and investment forum between Burkina Faso and Turkey in Burkina Faso. Turkish exports to Burkina Faso are projected to increase from US$122.24 million in 2023 to US$177.84 million in 2025.

This growth testifies to the dynamism of our trade relations, and Ambassador TOE commended the important role played by DEIK in bringing Turkish and Burkinabe businesses closer together. He urged the institution to be more actively involved in resolving disputes between Turkey and Burkinabe to prevent Burkinabe companies from continually suffering losses.

DEIK, through Ms. Vahit Oguz Cetin, one of its leaders for West Africa, advocated for the facilitation of banking transactions and an agreement on the elimination of double taxation.

The Burkinabe delegation explained that this issue of double taxation is addressed at the confederal level within the Confederation of Sahel States (AES). It encouraged joint ventures and the establishment of sustainable partnerships, particularly in agri-food, cold chain logistics, textiles, solar energy, mining, technical training, etc., to boost national economic development.

At the Turkish Ministry of National Education, discussions focused primarily on the issue of improving the quality of education desired and sought by Burkina Faso to support its project for the economic and social transformation of the country within the framework of the Popular Progressive Revolution.

The Turkish Department of Education has stated its readiness to examine all options regarding the training of teachers and administrators of the education system, the sharing of experience in vocational and technical training, the sharing of school programs and training curricula, and the implementation of new programs.

He also proposed twinning projects between Turkish and Burkinabe schools for a mixing of peoples, the ambition being to leave future generations a legacy of relations based on friendship and cooperation.

Between two consultations, Ambassador Hermann Yirigouin TOE and his delegation visited the Atatürk Mausoleum named after Mustafa Kemal ATATÜRK, the Founder of the Republic of Türkiye.

A return to the roots of modern Türkiye, rich in lessons about the determination of a man and the nationalism of a people who knew how to take charge of their destiny and establish themselves in the concert of nations.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministère des Affaires étrangères, Burkina Faso.