Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko concluded a 48-hour working visit to Burkina Faso, reinforcing bilateral cooperation on security, regional stability, and shared development priorities. The visit marks the first official high-level engagement between the two governments since both countries ushered in new leadership in 2024. Sonko was received in Ouagadougou by Burkinabè President Ibrahim Traoré, to whom he delivered a message of solidarity from Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and the Senegalese people. He stressed the urgency of collective regional action in the face of expanding insecurity in the Sahel, warning that no West African country is immune to the ripple effects of growing extremism and armed insurgencies.
While Burkina Faso is a key member of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—alongside Mali and Niger—Sonko emphasized that the fight against terrorism and instability must transcend alliance lines, urging broader subregional coordination beyond AES borders. The visit also coincided with the inauguration of the Thomas Sankara Mausoleum, where Sonko paid tribute to the late revolutionary leader. He described Sankara as “a towering figure of Pan-Africanism and patriotism,” whose legacy continues to inspire movements for sovereignty and social justice across the continent.
The visit underscores growing momentum for Pan-African solidarity, as Senegal and Burkina Faso seek to strengthen diplomatic, security, and historical ties amid deepening regional challenges.
