To express his concern for the impact on Burkina Faso of an influx of refugees from the Republic of Mali, President Ma Ying-jeou on the morning of April 11 specially announced that the ROC government is providing Burkina Faso with one million euro to assist its ally in addressing the crisis. President Ma made the announcement after signing a joint communiqué with Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore at the presidential compound there.
President Ma stated that about 40,000 refugees from Mali have entered Burkina Faso since the coup d'etat in Mali, and the ROC government has decided to provide one million euro to assist Burkina Faso in addressing this crisis, with the hope of minimizing the impact of the situation on the people of Burkina Faso, he said.
President Ma explained that the ROC has already provided 600,000 euro in aid to Burkina Faso to address the crisis. However, since the situation continues to worsen and is showing no signs of abating, the ROC, he said, has decided to provide another one million euro on top of the funds already disbursed. According to estimates, the refugees from Mali will require about 100 million euro in assistance. Consequently, President Ma also urged the international community to pay attention to the issue and jointly assist Burkina Faso in addressing the refugee crisis.
President Compaore expressed his gratitude to the government and people of the ROC for providing the humanitarian aid, saying that this assistance has come at an extremely opportune moment and demonstrates the willingness of the two countries to come to each other's aid in times of need.
A bit earlier in the day, the two heads of state signed a joint communiqué, the content of which is as follows:
His Excellency President Ma Ying-jeou of the Republic of China, at the invitation of His Excellency President Blaise Compaore of Burkina Faso, has led a distinguished delegation to Burkina Faso for a state visit from April 8 to April 11, 2012. President Ma and the delegation has received an enthusiastic welcome from the president, government, and people of Burkina Faso.
The purpose of this visit was to solidify the existing friendship, unity, and cooperative relationship between the two countries. The two leaders have demonstrated a resolute desire to strengthen the aforementioned relationship between the two countries.
Amid a cordial atmosphere, President Ma and President Compaore have engaged in working meetings and exchanged opinions on bilateral relations and other regional and international topics of mutual concern.
With regard to bilateral relations, the two heads of state express their satisfaction with the strategic partnership forged by the strong ties between the two countries. This relationship is marked by many economic, social, cultural, and athletic accomplishments, which have made a difference in the daily lives of the people of the two countries. The two leaders reiterate that the two nations will continue to strive to further enhance cooperation in order to ensure harmonious development and progress for the people of the two countries.
President Compaore reiterates his congratulations to President Ma on being elected to another term in office, and commends the people of Taiwan for supporting the approach to governance that President Ma intends to take during his term in office from 2012 to 2016.
The leaders of the two countries also reiterate their satisfaction with the periodic meetings held by the Mixed Commission of Cooperation between the ROC and Burkina Faso, and in particular express satisfaction with the strengthened bilateral cooperation in the areas of politics, foreign affairs, economics, culture, technology, and finance.
The two leaders also welcome the passage and promotion of 22 cooperation projects at the 8th Mixed Commission of Cooperation meeting held on June 14 and June 15, 2010 in Taipei, and both provide a positive assessment of the 8th Interim Review Conference held on December 15, 2011 in Ouagadougou, at which commission members reviewed the state of implementation of various cooperation projects.
The two leaders reiterate that all measures should be carried out, and express their hopes for a successful 9th Mixed Commission of Cooperation meeting, scheduled to be held in Ouagadougou in June 2012.
Burkina Faso President Compaore expresses his gratitude to the president, government, and people of the ROC for the many efforts to assist Burkina Faso in its economic and social development. President Compaore has briefed President Ma on the economic, social, and cultural progress in Burkina Faso resulting from the technical and financial assistance from Taiwan, as well as the hastened growth and sustainable development strategies. President Compaore has also asked his counterpart to continue to promote these projects.
The ROC president commends Burkina Faso President Compaore for leading the people of his country in the pursuit of sustainable development, and for his notable achievements in this regard. He also reiterates that the ROC government is willing to serve as a reliable partner in the pursuit of development in Burkina Faso. As such, the ROC president reiterates his willingness to share the development experience of the ROC with Burkina Faso and to continue to work to support that nation's development. Examples of this include the training of Burkina Faso students in Taiwan, a project to solidify vocational training, the promotion of modernized farming practices, the development of infrastructure, the improvement of the health care and public health systems, and the utilization of solar energy.
As for regional development, ROC President Ma congratulates Burkina Faso President Compaore on his efforts to resolve conflicts in the Ivory Coast, Guinea, and Mali, thereby providing a critical force in support of regional peace.
Burkina Faso President Compaore salutes the democratic vitality of Taiwan and also congratulates ROC President Ma for the ROC government's and the nation's work in promoting peace, security, and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.
In terms of international relations, the two heads of state have discussed major challenges, particularly international economic and financial crises, social and political change in the Arab societies of North Africa and the Middle East, climate change, and famine in Africa. The two leaders are pleased that they share the same opinions on the aforementioned issues, and pledge to strengthen political consultations.
The two heads of state also agree on the importance of their nations cooperating under the framework of international organizations, particularly the United Nations (UN), to address the aforementioned topics.
ROC President Ma expresses his appreciation for the longstanding support for the ROC by the Burkina Faso president and government in UN-affiliated organizations. The Burkina Faso president also reiterates that Burkina Faso will continue to fulfill its pledge to assist the ROC in the pursuit of international recognition and complete participation in the international community.
During his stay in Burkina Faso, President Ma has visited a variety of cooperation projects being carried out in that nation with the support of the ROC. In particular, he has visited the Taiwan-sponsored vocational training center in Ziniare, the National Hospital of Blaise Compaore, two elementary schools receiving solar power lamps under the “Light for Africa” project, the regional Koudougou Hospital known as “L’Hôpital de l’Amitié” (Friendship hospital), and a vocational high school. President Ma has also been presented the highest honor in Burkina Faso – The Grand Cross of the National Order – from President Compaore at a state dinner held by President Compaore to welcome President Ma.
As President Ma completes his visit, he extends his deepest appreciation to President Compaore and the government and people of Burkina Faso for their hospitality and the conveniences provided to him and his delegation during their stay.
His Excellency ROC President Ma has extended an invitation to Burkina Faso President Compaore to make a visit to the ROC.
His Excellency Burkina Faso President Compaore is pleased to accept the invitation, and a date for the visit will be arranged through diplomatic channels.
This joint communiqué has been drawn up in both French and Chinese, both texts being equally authentic, and was signed in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso on April 11, 2012. (end of communiqué)
After departing the Burkina Faso presidential compound, the president received a military farewell at the Ouagadougou International Airport, completing his itinerary in Burkina Faso phase of his "Project Benevolence and Friendship" trip. The president's chartered plane departed at 12:30 p.m. local time (8:30 p.m. on April 10 Taipei time) bound for the Republic of The Gambia, the second leg of the trip.