Om Prakash Meena Appointed as India's Envoy to Burkina Faso

Om Prakash Meena, former Deputy Secretary of Central and Western Africa, has been named India's Ambassador to Burkina Faso. India and Burkina Faso maintain strong bilateral ties, marked by economic cooperation and cultural exchange. Bilateral trade has seen steady growth, underscoring a robust partnership.

Om Prakash Meena, previously serving as the Deputy Secretary of Central and Western Africa, has been appointed as India's new Ambassador to Burkina Faso, the Ministry of External Affairs announced. The MEA expressed confidence in Meena's imminent assumption of his new duties.

India and Burkina Faso have enjoyed a harmonious relationship, with Burkina Faso regarding India as a significant ally. The diplomatic mission in Ouagadougou was reinstated in March 2019, while Burkina Faso's embassy in New Delhi was established in 1996 and upgraded to ambassadorial level in 2011. Formal cooperation traces back to 1976 with the signing of a protocol spearheaded by Burkina Faso's Minister of Commerce and Industry.

Bilateral trade has consistently risen from 2015-16 to 2021-22, with Burkina Faso often enjoying a trade surplus. Key imports for India include gold and cashew nuts, whereas India's exports to Burkina Faso are predominantly pharmaceutical goods and machinery. The Indian community there, numbering about 500, contributes significantly to manufacturing and commerce.

(With inputs from agencies.)