BURKINA FASO : HUMANITARIAN COOPERATION – RUSSIA DONATES 25.000 TONS OF WHEAT
The cooperation between Burkina Faso and Russia spans various areas, including humanitarian efforts. In this context, Russia has donated a shipment of 25.000 tons of wheat to the West African country, which transited through the autonomous port of Abidjan. The official reception of this donation took place on Friday, January 26, 2024, in Ouagadougou.
The formal handover of the 25.000 tons of wheat occurred at the Ministry responsible for Humanitarian Action. The recipient of the donation was Ms. Nandy Somé Diallo, the head of the ministry, in the presence of several officials, including the Minister of Communication, Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, and the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Burkina Faso, Alexey Soltykov.
According to Minister Nandy Somé, this wheat donation is intended to support internally displaced persons, host populations, as well as widows and orphans affected by terrorism.
« The government of Burkina Faso is pleased to receive this donation, and I take this opportunity to reassure the highest authorities of the transition and the Russian Federation that this donation is generally intended for the vulnerable people in my country », emphasized the Minister of Humanitarian Action.
It is noteworthy that this wheat offering to Burkina Faso is part of the initiative to donate 200.000 tons of cereals to African countries promised by the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, during the second Russia-Africa summit, with the aim of strengthening their food resilience.
« Despite the unilateral and illegal sanctions policy pursued by the West towards Russia, we continue to responsibly execute international contracts related to the export of agricultural products, fertilizers, energy, and other essential goods », stated Russian diplomat Alexey Soltykov.
He added that, in addition to Burkina Faso, significant quantities of wheat have been delivered to Eritrea, Mali, the Central African Republic, Somalia, and Zimbabwe. « In 2023, Mali was supplied with cereals, fuel, and fertilizer as humanitarian aid. In the same year, Malawi and Kenya received fertilizers, with substantial quantities that were previously blocked in European ports. We are aware of the importance of these essential products for the social and economic development and food security of African states ».
