SPIEF; venue of Burkina Faso energy min., Rosatom officials meeting

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
5 Jun 2024 17:03

Lavrov explained that specific meetings were scheduled to allow the understanding of the possibilities of those competencies that Russia has.

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Russian and Burkinable Foreign Ministers Sergey Lavrov and Karamoko Jean-Marie Traore on June 4, 2024. (Sputnik via Russian Foreign Ministry)

Burkina Faso Energy Minister Yacouba Zabre Gouba will meet with representatives from Russia's state nuclear enterprise Rosatom on the margins of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

During a joint press conference with Foreign Minister of Burkina Faso Karamoko Jean Marie Traore on Wednesday, Lavrov explained that specific meetings were scheduled "with the leadership of our agency for the peaceful development of nuclear energy, Rosatom," adding that such contacts will allow a full understanding of the possibilities of those competencies that Russia, the undisputed leader in nuclear energy at the global level, has."

Traore detailed that Burkina Faso and Russia would increase cooperation in the energy sector and expressed that this was a "top priority" for the country. "Representatives of our national energy agency are also included in the delegation," he said, adding that this cooperation and the presence of ministers during the forum is a positive factor that will further develop infrastructure in this area.

The 27th edition of SPIEF will take place in St. Petersburg, Russia, on June 5-8. Last year, the meeting attracted 17,000 participants from 130 nations and a total of almost 900 agreements.

Politico reported on Tuesday that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov kicked off his diplomatic tour across the African continent to promote Russian-African relations.

On Monday, the diplomat arrived in the first country on his tour, Guinea, where he met with Guinea's Foreign Minister Morissanda Kouyaté to discuss cooperation, although specific details were not provided.

Following Guinea, Lavrov is scheduled to meet President Denis Sassou Nguesso in Oyo, Republic of Congo, with further stops on his itinerary yet to be disclosed.

Guinea has been under military rule since Col. Mamadi Doumbouya's coup in 2021, which he argued was as a measure to prevent chaos and address the previous government's failures.

Doumbouya has resisted Western intervention in African political affairs, arguing that Africans are weary of external interference.

This sentiment resonates in several West African nations like Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, which have experienced coups leading to military juntas that favor Russian security assistance over Western military ties.

Lavrov's African diplomatic efforts included visits to Mali, where he pledged military support and recently agreed to launch the construction of West Africa's largest solar power plant.

It also includes South Africa, a key neutral player in the Ukraine conflict and a member of the BRICS bloc. His outreach extended to Kenya and North Africa, regions where Russia seeks to capitalize on declining Western influence.

In Burkina Faso, the military junta ousted French forces and sought Russian security aid. Likewise, in Niger, Russian military trainers arrived shortly after the junta ordered US troops to leave.