Ouagadougou: President John Dramani Mahama held a bilateral meeting with Captain Ibrahim Traor©, the Interim Leader of Burkina Faso, focusing on regional cooperation and mutual interests. This meeting, held on Monday, is part of President Mahama's ongoing visits to West African states, emphasizing Ghana's commitment to fostering good relations with neighboring countries.
According to Ghana News Agency, President Mahama expressed gratitude to Captain Traor© for participating in his inauguration on January 7 in Accra. During their discussion, both leaders addressed various topics, including the Alliance of Sahel States, an organization formed by Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso after their withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
President Mahama previously met with President General Assimi Goita of Mali in Bamako on Saturday and General Abdourahamane Tchiani of Niger in Niamey on Sunday. He gained new insights into the three countries' concerns regarding their interactions with ECOWAS and assured Captain Traor© that these perspectives would be conveyed at the next ECOWAS meeting.
Highlighting the need to rebuild trust among regional leaders, President Mahama emphasized the importance of collaboration, even outside formal regional bodies. He used an African proverb to underscore the necessity of mutual support in combating terrorism, which he described as a spreading threat that requires collective action.
The discussions also covered economic relations, particularly trade, free movement, and the transit of goods through Ghana to Burkina Faso. President Mahama mentioned plans to enhance the transit corridor and explore direct flights between Accra and Ouagadougou, with a Ghanaian airline expressing interest in initiating this service.
Energy cooperation was another key topic, with talks on increasing Ghana's power supply to Burkina Faso and optimizing the transit corridor for petroleum products. President Mahama noted Burkina Faso's recent acquisition of a storage terminal in Tema and discussed plans to extend an existing pipeline from Bolgatanga to Ouagadougou to facilitate the efficient transport of fuel and diesel products.
