Africa-Press. U.S. envoy Nick Chiker, head of the Bureau of African Affairs at the U.S. State Department, traveled to Burkina Faso in a visit aimed at reviving relations between Washington and the Sahel region after years of tensions.
The visit is part of a regional tour, as the U.S. envoy had visited Mali last month. The United States continues diplomatic efforts to re-engage with the Sahel region.
In Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso’s Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean Marie Traoré received Nick Chiker. In a statement, the minister welcomed the new U.S. position toward Burkina Faso.
According to Burkina Faso’s foreign minister, Washington wants to “cooperate in combating terrorism,” including, as he added, “lifting the suspension on exports of military equipment to Burkina Faso.”
Following the meeting, the U.S. envoy stressed the need to “learn from the past, move forward, rebuild trust, and cooperate on issues that concern us all.”
This marks the first visit by a senior U.S. official to Burkina Faso in four years. The previous U.S. administration had suspended military cooperation with several Sahel countries, including Burkina Faso, following the 2022 coup.
However, several indicators point to a shift in the U.S. position. Last year, a U.S. congressional delegation visited Ouagadougou to advocate for a “pragmatic” economic and security policy toward Burkina Faso and the broader Sahel region.
This renewed U.S. engagement with the Sahel comes at a time when Russia has strengthened its presence in the region through security partnerships and the deployment of forces across the continent.
