Moscow-Ouagadougou axis: 192 million CFA francs worth of equipment for the Military Engineering Corps
Moscow-Ouagadougou axis: 192 million CFA francs worth of equipment for the Military Engineering Corps
Axe Moscou-Ouaga : 192 millions de F CFA de matériel pour le Génie Militaire
As part of efforts to strengthen military cooperation between Ouagadougou and Moscow, a handover ceremony for equipment was held on Friday, February 20, 2026, at Camp General Aboubacar Sangoulé Lamizana. This donation, valued at over 192 million CFA francs, aims to support the operational capabilities of the Military Engineering Corps in crisis zones.
This gesture follows the memorandum of understanding signed in August 2025 in Moscow between the defense ministries of the two nations. The shipment of equipment received includes 10 generators of varying power outputs, 15 100 kW transformers, and 125 complete water filters.
For the Burkinabe Armed Forces (FAN), the stakes are twofold: ensuring the energy independence of units in the field and providing basic services to the civilian population. Colonel Bassinga Bapio Kouayé Narcisse, Commander of the Central Army Group (GCA), emphasized the importance of this donation.
" This equipment will be deployed in areas with high security challenges, both for the benefit of local populations and for the fighting forces where access to electricity and drinking water is a major challenge ," he said.
He also clarified that this handover is only the first phase of a larger program that includes social projects, such as the construction of schools and the renovation of infrastructure.
Beyond the technical aspects, this ceremony symbolizes the diversification of Burkina Faso's strategic partnerships under the leadership of the Head of State, Captain Ibrahim Traoré. For Colonel Bassinga, this alliance is distinguished by its pragmatism.
" The cooperation we have with the Russian Federation is vibrant and concrete. It proves that our alliance is oriented towards the field and towards the Burkinabè citizen , " he stressed.
On the Russian side, Colonel Roman Aleksandrovich Ponomarev, defense attaché, reiterated his country's commitment to supporting the Burkinabe people in their quest for sovereignty and prosperity.
" The implementation of humanitarian and social projects is an important step in achieving Burkina Faso's development goals, alongside strengthening the capacities of the armed forces ," he said.
The equipment will be immediately transported to its destinations. This partnership illustrates a new approach to security where the social resilience of the population is placed on the same level as the reconquest of the territory, according to Colonel Bassinga.