Sri Lanka, Burkina Faso to cooperate on tourism

Burkina Faso Foreign Affairs and Regional Cooperation Senior Minister Djibrill Yipéné Bassolé met with Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa at the Ministry office recently. At the meeting Minister Bassolé said that his Government wished to build closer ties with Sri Lanka in youth development, tourism industry and food security among other areas.

The two ministers discussed future cooperation in the fields of trade, economy, agriculture and irrigation. Minister Basil Rajapaksa agreed to train Burkina Faso students in Sri Lankan Hotel schools and to exchange business delegations in specified areas suggested by Burkina Faso.

The visiting minister also expressed his country’s willingness to learn from Sri Lanka’s experience in self-sufficiency and rural development programs. As Burkina Faso is a country rich with gold reserves, Sri Lanka has agreed to assist in the field of gem and jewellery.

Minister Basil Rajapaksa explained to the Burkina Faso Minister Sri Lanka’s development successes after the end of the war and expressed the Sri Lanka Government’s willingness share experiences with Burkina Faso and to give all possible assistance the latter needed.

Burkina Faso, a member of the UN Human Rights Council was among the eight countries that refrained from voting for the resolution against Sri Lanka during the last UNHRC sessions in Geneva.

The six member Burkina Faso delegation headed by Minister Bassolé arrived in Sri Lanka in April on a three-day official visit.

The other member of the delegation included Burkina Faso Ambassador for Sri Lanka resident in New Delhi Idriss Raoua Ouedraogo, Minister’s Cabinet Director Amadou Dicko, Gnama Bilateral Relations Director-General Henri Bacye, Asia Pacific Division Head Binta Kargougou and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Cooperation of Burkina Faso Pacific and Middle East Director/Asia Fatoumata Ouedraogo. Sri Lanka and Burkina Faso established formal diplomatic relations on 15 November 2012.