Côte d’Ivoire has firmly rejected President of Burkina Faso’s transitional government, Captain Ibrahim Traoré’s accusation that it is attempting to destabilize Burkina Faso.
Ivorian Defense Minister Téné Birahima Ouattara labeled these claims as baseless in an interview with Jeune Afrique. He emphasized that Côte d’Ivoire has no interest in destabilizing Burkina Faso and highlighted the recent expulsion of Burkinabe refugees and the planned closure of a refugee camp as evidence of the strained relations.
Birahima also noted that military cooperation between the two countries, particularly in counterterrorism, has been suspended since 2023 due to last-minute cancellations by Burkina Faso.
He stressed Côte d’Ivoire’s willingness to conduct joint operations to secure their border regions. Since Captain Traoré’s rise to power in September 2022, diplomatic tensions between the two nations have increased.
