Foreign relations of Burkina Faso
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Burkina Faso has good relations with the European Union, African and Asian countries. France, the former colonial power, in particular, continues to provide significant aid and supports Compaoré's developing role as a regional powerbroker. Burkina maintains diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (usually referred to as "Taiwan") instead of the People's Republic of China.[1]
According to the U.S. State Department, "U.S. relations with Burkina Faso are good but subject to strains in the past because of the Compaoré government's past involvement in arms trading and other sanctions-breaking activity."[2]
Burkina Faso's relations with its West African neighbors have improved in recent years. Relations with Ghana, in particular, have warmed with a change in government in that country. President Compaoré has mediated a political crisis in Togo and helped to resolve the Tuareg conflict in Niger. Burkina maintains cordial relations with Libya. A territorial dispute with Mali was mediated by Ghana and Nigeria, which has led to lessening of tensions between the two nations.
Since the 2002 civil war in Ivory Coast, relations between it and Burkina Faso have been filled with accusations of Burkinabé support for rebels on one side and claims of mistreatment of Burkinabé workers on the other.[3][4] Ivory Coast remains Burkina Faso's largest regional trading partner in spite of their disputes and tens of thousands of Burkinabés continue to work in the Ivory Coast.[5]
Nineteen provinces of Burkina Faso are joined with contiguous areas of Mali and Niger under the Liptako-Gourma Authority, a regional economic organization.
Burkina Faso is also a member of the International Criminal Court with a bilateral immunity agreement of protection for the United States-military (as covered under Article 98).
Contents
Bilateral relations
Benin
In September 2007, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) intervened to attempt to resolve the dispute over two villages along the Benin-Burkina Faso border that remain from a 2005 ICJ decision.
Ivory Coast
Despite the presence of more than 9,000 UN forces (UNOCI) in Ivory Coast since 2004, ethnic conflict continues to spread into neighboring states who can no longer send their migrant workers to work in Ivorian cocoa plantations.
Denmark
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Ghana
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With the coming to power of Thomas Sankara in Burkina Faso in 1983, relations between Ghana and Burkina became both warm and close. Indeed, Rawlings and Sankara began discussions about uniting Ghana and Burkina in the manner of the defunct Ghana-Guinea-Mali Union, which Nkrumah had sought unsuccessfully to promote as a foundation for his dream of unified continental government. Political and economic ties between Ghana and Burkina, a poorer country, were strengthened through joint commissions of cooperation and through border demarcation committee meetings. Frequent high-level consultations and joint military exercises, meant to discourage potential dissidents and to protect young "revolutions" in each country, were fairly regular features of Ghana-Burkina relations.[6]
Kosovo
Burkina Faso recognised the Republic of Kosovo on 24 April 2008.[7] Burkina Faso and Kosovo established diplomatic relations on 6 December 2012.[8]
Libya
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North Korea
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Republic of India
India and Burkina Faso enjoy warm relations.
Russia
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Diplomatic relations between Burkina Faso and the Soviet Union were established for the first time on February 18, 1967. After the breakup of the Soviet Union, Burkina Faso recognized Russia as the USSR's successor. However financial reasons has shut the embassies between the two nations. In 1992, the embassy of the Russian Federation in Ouagadougou was closed, and in 1996, the embassy of Burkina Faso in Moscow was closed.
South Korea
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Establishment of diplomatic relations was on 20 April 1962, with visits in 1981 by Special Envoy of the President Roh Tae-woo, in 1983 by Park Chan-geung and in 1984 by Kang Kyung-shik.[9][clarification needed]
Soviet Union
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Sweden
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Sweden is a major contributor of developmental aid to Burkina Faso. The Burkina Faso–Sweden Friendship Association was formed in 1986 to promote exchange between the two countries.
Taiwan
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United States
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Relations are good but subject to strains in the past because of the Compaoré government's past involvement in arms trading and other sanctions-breaking activity. In addition to regional peace and stability, U.S. interests in Burkina are to promote continued democratization and greater respect for human rights and to encourage sustainable economic development. Although the Agency for International Development (USAID) closed its office in Ouagadougou in 1995, about $18 million annually of USAID funding goes to Burkina's development through non-governmental and regional organizations. The largest is a Food for Peace school lunch program administered by Catholic Relief Services. Burkina has been the site of several development success stories. U.S. leadership in building food security in the Sahel after the 1968-74 drought has been successful in virtually eliminating famine, despite recurrent drought years. River blindness has been eliminated from the region. In both cases, the U.S. was the main donor to inter-African organizations headquartered in Ouagadougou which through sustained efforts have achieved and consolidated these gains. In 2005, Burkina Faso and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) signed a $12 million Threshold Country Program to build schools and increase girls' enrollment rates. In November 2005, the Millennium Challenge Corporation selected Burkina Faso as eligible to submit a proposal for Millennium Challenge Account assistance for fiscal year 2006, making it one of only two countries eligible for threshold as well as compact funding. The Government of Burkina Faso is working closely with MCC staff to finalize its compact submission.
See also
References
- ↑
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the CIA World Factbook. - ↑ This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Department of State (Background Notes). [1]
- ↑ Ivorian raiders "are foreigners" BBC, July 27, 2005
- ↑ Blaise Campaoré:<<La crise ivoirienne inquiète le Burkina>>, Le Figaro, December 11, 2005
- ↑ Unending Crises, Africa Today, February 25, 2006
- ↑ Owusu, Maxwell. "Burkina". A Country Study: Ghana (La Verle Berry, editor). Library of Congress Federal Research Division (November 1994). This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.[2]
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Republika e Kosovës dhe Republika e Burkina Faso nënshkruan Protokollin për vendosje të marrëdhënieve diplomatike, Embassy of Republic of Kosovo in Paris, 2012-12-06 (in Albanian)
- ↑ http://www.mofa.go.kr/ENG/countries/middleeast/countries/20070804/1_24501.jsp?menu=m_30_50
