Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty thanked Burkina Faso for backing Egypt’s Khaled al-Enany’s candidacy for the post of UNESCO director general.
Such support reflects confidence in the competence of the Egyptian candidate as the African candidate whose electoral vision is in line with the aspirations of all African countries, Abdelatty said during a meeting on Tuesday with Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Cooperation and Burkinabè Abroad Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, at the start of his visit to Ouagadougou, the second leg of his current West African trip.
Underlining the importance Egypt attaches to strengthening bilateral relations with Burkina Faso, Abdelatty said he looks forward to launching direct communication channels between the business communities in both countries.
He highlighted the success stories of Egyptian companies operating in Burkina Faso, expressing Egypt’s willingness to expand cooperation and transfer relevant expertise in the infrastructure, energy, mining, construction, and cotton industries.
Abdelatty said he is leading a high-level delegation of 30 businessmen and representatives of major Egyptian companies from the public and private sectors to the sisterly African country, which reflects a strong desire to elevate bilateral cooperation.
Abdelatty and Traoré discussed the progress made in implementing the outcomes of Burkina Faso’s foreign minister’s visit to Cairo in November 2024.
He reiterated Egypt’s full support for Burkina Faso’s counterterrorism efforts, reaffirming respect for its sovereignty and territorial integrity. He also stressed Egypt’s readiness to provide all forms of support to help Burkina Faso in its fight against terrorism.
Abdelatty also highlighted the vital role played by Al-Azhar Al-Sharif to promote the values of tolerance and moderate religious discourse in Burkina Faso.
The two sides mulled ways to enhance coordination between Egypt and Burkina Faso at various regional and international forums.
They also exchanged views on a raft of regional issues of common concern, especially the situation in the Sahel region and West Africa, given the mounting challenges related to the spread of terrorism and organized crime, which requires bolstering bilateral cooperation and consultation to confront these challenges and maintain regional security and stability.
The two foreign ministers concluded the meeting by signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for launching a mechanism for joint political consultations.
Abdelatty embarked on a five-nation tour of West Africa on Monday, leading a high-level business delegation in a push to bolster economic ties and deepen security cooperation across a region facing significant challenges.
The tour, which will also include stops in Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali, and Senegal, kicked off in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, where Abdelatty held a series of meetings with top Nigerian officials and the regional ECOWAS bloc, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
