Burkina Faso–Ivory Coast relations

Burkina Faso–Ivory Coast relations are the bilateral relations between Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast. The length of the international border between the two countries is 545 km. Both nations are members of the African Union and Non-Aligned Movement.

History

Relations between the two countries deteriorated following the removal of Burkina Faso's president Blaise Compaoré in late 2014 and the inauguration of his successor, Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, in December 2015. Compaoré is close to Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara and lives in Abidjan, while, following the results of an investigation, the Burkinabé public prosecutor issued an arrest warrant for him. The view held by the authorities of Burkina Faso that the Ivorian government was protecting Compaoré further increased tensions between the two countries.

The situation was exacerbated by suspicions of Ivorian involvement in the failed coup against Burkina Faso's transitional government in September 2015, reinforced by the leak of an audio recording allegedly involving Guillaume Soro, Speaker of the Ivorian Parliament, and Djibrill Bassolé, a former minister in Compaoré's cabinet. After a prosecutor in Ouagadougou issued an arrest warrant for Soro in mid-January, reports emerged suggesting that additional recordings existed implicating Ivory Coast's Minister of Defense, General Soumaïla Bakayoko. In light of a recent terrorist attack in Ouagadougou and an attack on an arms depot attributed to supporters of Compaoré, any Ivorian involvement—real or perceived—was potentially harmful to the stability of bilateral relations.

Between three and four million citizens of Burkina Faso live in Ivory Coast as a result of decades of labor migration. Ouattara has roots in Burkina Faso. Recent events highlighted the role of Soro, whose former rebel movement, the New Forces, used Burkina Faso as a base during the Ivorian civil conflict of the 2000s. These accusations undermined Soro's presidential ambitions. The government of Ivory Coast stated that it wished to resolve the issue of the arrest warrant for Soro through diplomatic means, although the damage to his reputation was welcomed by some supporters of Ouattara.

In 2016, relations between Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso began to normalize, nearly two years after they had deteriorated following the removal of President Compaoré. On 28 July 2016, Burkinabé President Christian Kaboré met with his Ivorian counterpart Ouattara to sign 13 bilateral agreements, including those aimed at infrastructure development and strengthening border security to combat terrorism. The meeting marked the first high-level summit between the two countries since 2014 and represented an important step toward the normalization of relations.

See also

• Foreign relations of Burkina Faso
• Foreign relations of Ivory Coast
• Burkina Faso–Ivory Coast border

References

Ivory Coast Category:Bilateral relations of Ivory Coast