President Chen Shui-bian on the afternoon of May 15 bestowed the Order of Brilliant Star with Grand Cordon on Republic of Burkina Faso Ambassador to the ROC (Taiwan) Jacques Y. Sawadogo. The honor was presented to Ambassador Sawadogo in recognition of his long efforts to promote friendship and cooperation between Taiwan and Burkina Faso, as well as his outstanding contributions as Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in the ROC.
The ceremony presenting the honor was held at 4:00 p.m. at the Presidential Building. In addition to Ambassador Sawadogo's wife and son, officials in attendance included Deputy Secretary-General to the President Lin Chia-lung, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Secretary-General Benjamin Y. P. Liang, and a number of ambassadors stationed in the ROC, including Ambassador Beraki Jino of the Solomon Islands, Ambassador Ramon Antero Diaz Pereira of the Republic of Paraguay, Ambassador Ladislau D'Almeida of the Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Ambassador Julio Mock Cardena of the Republic of Panama, Ambassador Njabuliso Busisiwe Gwebu of the Kingdom of Swaziland, Ambassador Mawdo Corajiki Juwara of the Republic of The Gambia, and Charge d'affaires Ambrose Madhta of the Holy See.
After the formal granting of the honor, President Chen personally placed the sash on Ambassador Sawadogo, followed by clipping on the badge of the Brilliant Star. Upon the completion of this, President Chen shook the hand of Ambassador Sawadogo to offer his congratulations. Ambassador Sawadogo then made remarks to the gathering, after which everyone raised their glasses to offer congratulations.
Ambassador Sawadogo expressed his deepest gratitude to President Chen for presenting him with the honor. He said President Chen has long been concerned about the development of Burkina Faso. The honor presented today represents the deep bonds of friendship between the two countries, he said. Ambassador Sawadogo also extended his respect and gratitude on behalf of the people of Burkina Faso for the long-term assistance provided by the Taiwan government in promoting development in his country. He also lauded President Chen, saying that under his leadership, Taiwan has posted exceptional accomplishments in democratization, human rights and economic development, which have been applauded by the international community. Lastly, Ambassador Sawadogo wished good health to President Chen, First Lady Wu Shu-jen, and the entire First Family, as well as prosperity and good wishes for Taiwan.