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Ghana and Burkina Faso have agreed to increase security cooperation following a deadly attack in northern Burkina Faso that killed seven Ghanaians, the Ghanaian foreign ministry said Saturday.
The victims, reportedly tomato sellers, were among dozens of civilians killed in mid-February in Burkina Faso’s Sahel region, which has experienced ongoing armed violence in recent years linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group.
During a two-day official visit by Burkinabe Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean-Marie Traore and Prime Minister Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouedraogo, the two countries signed a series of agreements to tackle terrorism, violent extremism, and drug trafficking.
“The importance of security cooperation between the two countries featured prominently in the discussions,” Ghana’s Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said in a statement.
Both sides agreed to design and implement a strengthened bilateral security framework aimed at effectively combating terrorism and violent extremism.”
The foreign ministry said Ghana and Burkina Faso “strongly condemned the recent terrorist attacks in the sub-region” and extended heartfelt condolences to affected families.
Relations between Burkina Faso and many of its West African neighbours have been strained since a 2022 military coup.
Ghana, however, has maintained friendly ties with its northern neighbour, a relationship that officials said facilitated the latest agreements.
Burkina Faso’s northern and eastern regions have been affected by recurring armed attacks over the past decade, resulting in civilian and security casualties.
