State Visit Burkina Faso – October 23, 2018

Upon arrival to Burkina Faso, the Governor General was greeted by His Excellency Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, President of Burkina Faso, at Ouagadougou International Airport on October 23, 2018.

The following day, Her Excellency was officially welcomed during a ceremony at the Presidential Palace. This is the first visit by a governor general to Burkina Faso.

She received military honours and inspected the guard of honour.

Following the ceremony, the Governor General met with with President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré to discuss bilateral relations between Canada and Burkina Faso.

Some members of the Canadian delegation also attended the meeting. To strengthen the people-to-people ties and promote various aspects of Canada abroad, the Governor General is accompanied by parliamentarians and Canadian leaders from the fields of education, research, innovation, development, trade and arts.

Following their meeting, the Governor General and the President of Burkina Faso delivered statements and answered questions from the media.

Her Excellency laid a wreath at the marker put up in memory of the victims of terrorist attacks.  On January 15, 2016, hotels and restaurants in the Burkina’s capital came under terrorist attack, resulting in 30 deaths, including 6 Canadians, and more than 70 wounded. The capital has since had two other attacks: the first, in August 2017, that resulted in the deaths of 19 people, including 2 Canadians, and 22 wounded; the second, in March 2018, which had 8 victims and more than 80 wounded.

The Governor General and members of the Canadian delegation met with Canadian cooperants working in Burkina Faso to better understand the reality of those engaging in development assistance. Lili-Anna Pereša, C.Q., President and Executive Director of Centraide of Greater Montreal, participated in the discussion.  

In the afternoon, the Governor General met with His Excellency Alassane Bala Sakandé, Speaker of the National Assembly of Burkina Faso.

The Governor General addressed the members of the National Assembly.

The themes included education, inclusion, diversity, the importance of making room for youth and the impacts of climate change.

Signs around the city announced the Governor General’s visit in the capital city of Ouagadougou.

In the evening, Her Excellency returned to the Presidential Palace to attend a State dinner held in her honour by President Kaboré. Both the Governor General and the President delivered brief remarks on this occasion.