Azerbaijan, Burkina Faso mull bolstering bilateral ties & cooperation against neo-colonialism

On August 5, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Vinta Somé, the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Burkina Faso.

President Aliyev emphasized Azerbaijan’s interest in developing comprehensive relations with Burkina Faso, particularly in economic and trade sectors, Caliber.Az reports per Azertac.

He highlighted the importance of identifying specific areas for cooperation and exploring potential Azerbaijani investments in Burkina Faso. The president also underscored the significance of mutual support within international organizations such as the UN and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

Aliyev pointed out Azerbaijan’s leadership in the NAM over the past four years, during which the country has focused on combating colonialism and neo-colonialism. He expressed strong criticism of France’s neo-colonial policies, noting that Azerbaijan has vocally opposed these injustices and supported the independence of peoples under colonial rule. The president further mentioned France’s biased stance against Azerbaijan, particularly in the aftermath of Azerbaijan’s territorial gains, and stressed that France had acted unfairly in international forums such as the UN and the European Union.

The president also discussed Azerbaijan’s diplomatic efforts to enhance relations with African countries, mentioning that the Azerbaijani ambassador to the African Union had been tasked with fostering closer ties and planning bilateral cooperation initiatives.

Ambassador Somé expressed his gratitude for the warm reception and conveyed greetings from Burkina Faso’s President Ibrahim Traoré. He congratulated President Aliyev on his re-election, the restoration of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, and Azerbaijan’s successful chairmanship of the NAM. Somé also highlighted Burkina Faso’s readiness for comprehensive strategic cooperation with Azerbaijan and announced an upcoming visit by a large Azerbaijani delegation to Burkina Faso. The ambassador emphasized the promising prospects for collaboration in various sectors, including energy, agriculture, education, and counter-terrorism.

Moreover, Somé acknowledged Azerbaijan’s support in the fight against colonialism and spoke about the strengthening of the Pan-African movement. He concluded by wishing Azerbaijan success in organizing COP29 and confirmed Burkina Faso’s participation in the event.