Russia reopens embassy in Burkina Faso — after 31 years

After over 30 years without a diplomatic presence in Burkina Faso, Russia has announced the reopening of its embassy in Ouagadougou, capital of Burkina Faso.

Alexey Saltykov, Russia’s ambassador to Cote d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso, spoke in a statement made available to TASS, state-owned news agency, on Thursday.

“The ceremony was attended by the Prime Minister of Burkina Faso [Apollinaire Joachim Kyelem de Tambela], as well as the ministers of defense, energy, sports, education, the deputy speaker of the transitional legislative assembly, Russian compatriots and Burkinabe journalists and representatives of foreign diplomatic corps,” the statement quoted the ambassador as saying.

According to TASS, Saltykov said the diplomatic mission in Burkina Faso would match the average size of most Russian embassies in West Africa in terms of staff.

Saltykov added that the opening of the embassy would give an impetus to relations between the two countries.

The opening of the embassy comes after President Vladimir Putin’s comments in August.

Putin had said the resumption of diplomatic operations would be a step to intensify cooperation with African countries in the political, business and humanitarian fields, as well as in culture and tourism.

Russia had closed its embassy in Burkina Faso in 1992 as part of a broader reduction of its involvement in Africa following the end of the cold war.

The reopening  of the Kremlin embassy follows a shift in Burkina Faso’s international alignment, particularly after the military coup in 2022, which led to a strained relationship with France, former colonial power, and a closer shift to Russia.

France had condemned the coup in Burkina Faso, as well as in neighbouring Mali and Niger Republic.

Last week, France withdrew the last of its troops from Niger and closed its embassy, officially severing ties with its former colony.

However, Russia’s growing influence in Africa has drawn criticism from foreign relations experts.

Moscow has been accused of disinformation, election interference, support for coups, and arms-for-resources deals to expand its hold in Africa.

As a result, some African leaders see Russia as a means to validate their policies and push back against the West, but others are concerned about the implications of Moscow’s interventions in Africa for governance norms and security on the continent.