Egypt, Burkina Faso Seek to Deepen Economic, Security Cooperation

Egypt and Burkina Faso are seeking to deepen bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, security and development, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said on Tuesday, as the two countries look to translate growing political ties into concrete economic partnerships.

Abdelatty made his remarks during a joint press conference with Burkina Faso’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Cooperation Karamoko Jean Marie Traore following talks at the Egyptian Foreign Ministry’s headquarters in the New Administrative Capital.

Abdelatty said relations between Egypt and Burkina Faso had gained increasing momentum, reflecting the two countries’ political commitment to expanding bilateral cooperation and encouraging greater private-sector engagement.

The talks focused on strengthening political, economic and security cooperation, in line with the directives of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Burkina Faso’s President Captain Ibrahim Traore.

Abdelatty reaffirmed Egypt’s support for Burkina Faso and other Sahel countries, including Mali and Niger, in their efforts to address terrorism and strengthen stability.

He said Egypt was ready to support Burkina Faso’s counterterrorism efforts through training and capacity-building programmes, while stressing that terrorism is a cross-border challenge that requires coordinated international and regional responses.

The two sides also discussed cooperation through Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, including training programmes for young imams from Burkina Faso and other Sahel countries and opportunities for students from the region to pursue their studies in Egypt.

Economic cooperation

Economic and investment ties featured prominently in the discussions, with around 80 business leaders taking part in an Egyptian-Burkinabe business forum aimed at identifying investment opportunities and developing partnerships between companies from both countries.

According to Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, their discussions had focused on increasing bilateral trade and identified several potential projects in the food, energy and pharmaceutical sectors.

He said Egyptian companies were interested in moving beyond pharmaceutical exports to Burkina Faso and exploring the establishment of manufacturing facilities there, including pharmaceutical packaging plants and cooperation in vaccine production.

The two sides also discussed infrastructure and agriculture. Abdelatty noted that Egyptian construction company Arab Contractors is already operating in Burkina Faso.

They further examined different financing arrangements for potential projects, including foreign-currency payments, barter arrangements and payment through projects.

Abdelatty said the Burkinabe foreign minister would visit Egypt’s Pharmaceutical City during his stay in Cairo to explore opportunities for further cooperation in the pharmaceutical sector.

Egypt is also seeking to expand its investment footprint across Africa, with Abdelatty putting the value of Egyptian investments on the continent at nearly $14 billion.

He said Cairo was preparing to establish a new investment entity to promote Egyptian investments in Africa, particularly in manufacturing, agriculture and education.

Egypt is also allocating about $100 million from its budget through a financing mechanism aimed at supporting development projects in Africa, Abdelatty said, while highlighting the role of the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development in training, capacity building and medical assistance across the continent.

Expanding engagement with Africa

Abdelatty said Africa remains a major pillar of Egypt’s foreign policy and announced plans for additional visits to Central, West and Southern African countries in the coming months as Cairo seeks to expand its engagement across the continent.

Moreover, the Egyptian official invited Burkinabe business leaders to participate in the El Alamein Business Forum, scheduled to take place from October 2 to 4, bringing together African political and business leaders to explore investment and trade opportunities.

Also, the discussions covered the Aswan Forum, which is scheduled to hold its next edition in Aswan in November. Abdelatty invited his Burkinabe counterpart to participate.

Security and regional stability

Additionally, the two ministers discussed security developments in the Sahel, with both sides stressing the need for a comprehensive approach to counterterrorism that combines security measures with economic and social development.

Traore said Burkina Faso considered cooperation with Egypt “fruitful” across multiple areas and stressed the importance of strengthening economic ties alongside political relations.

Furthermore, he highlighted the role of the regional alliance formed by Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger in coordinating efforts to address security challenges.

The talks come as Burkina Faso and its Sahel neighbours face persistent attacks by armed groups, while seeking to strengthen state institutions and develop alternative regional and international partnerships.