The Ivorian government has firmly denied allegations made by Burkinabe transitional president, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, accusing Côte d’Ivoire of attempting to destabilize Burkina Faso. In an interview with Jeune Afrique, Ivorian Defense Minister Téné Birahima Ouattara labeled the claims as baseless.
Ouattara emphasized that Côte d’Ivoire has no interest in destabilizing its neighbor and pointed to recent actions, such as the expulsion of Burkinabe refugees and the planned closure of a refugee camp, as evidence of the strained relations between the two countries.
He also highlighted that military cooperation between Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso, especially in counterterrorism, has been suspended since 2023 due to last-minute cancellations by Burkina Faso.
Despite these tensions, Ouattara stressed Côte d’Ivoire’s willingness to resume joint operations to secure their shared border regions.
Diplomatic relations between the two nations have been increasingly fraught since Captain Traoré came to power in September 2022.
The strained ties between Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso continue to challenge regional stability and cooperation in the subregion, particularly in the fight against terrorism.
Report by Yann Kone