AUC Chairperson received by Minister of Foreign Affairs of Burkina Faso

The Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf was this morning received by H.E. Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Burkina Faso, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ouagadougou.

Welcoming the Chairperson, Minister Traoré expressed his appreciation for the visit, noting that it reflects the AU's solidarity with Burkina Faso & underscores the Commission's commitment to engaging directly with Member States in addressing common continental challenges.

Chairperson Youssouf stated that his visit was intended to convey the Union's solidarity with the Government & people of #BurkinaFaso in their efforts to restore peace, combat terrorism & promote stability. He reaffirmed the Commission's commitment to accompanying Burkina Faso, through the relevant organs & institutions of the AU, in support of humanitarian response, public health & sustainable development.

The Chairperson recalled that Burkina Faso was among the first African countries to ratify the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, noting that the Charter remains an important continental framework for promoting good governance & responsive institutions.

He reaffirmed the AU's full respect for the sovereignty, unity & territorial integrity of Burkina Faso, in accordance with the Constitutive Act of the AU.

He also underscored the importance of strengthening regional cooperation to address shared peace, security & development challenges, & informed the Minister that his High Representative for the Sahel, H.E. Mamadou Tangara, would engage closely with countries of the region to advance dialogue, cooperation & shared priorities.

Minister Traoré welcomed the constructive & frank exchange of views & reaffirmed Burkina Faso's commitment to continue to play its full role within the AU, including in advancing the Union's institutional reform agenda. He also concurred with the Chairperson on the importance of strengthening the Union's financial autonomy through enhanced mobilisation of domestic resources, stressing that a financially self-reliant Union is essential to delivering on Africa's priorities.