At 10 a.m. on February 25 the new Ambassador from Burkina Faso to the ROC, Celine Yoda/Konkobo, went to the Presidential Office Building to present her credentials to President Ma Ying-jeou. In addition to congratulating Ambassador Yoda/Konkobo and welcoming her to her post, the president also called for continued strengthening of cooperation between the two nations, further solidifying the bilateral alliance.
In remarks, President Ma stated that Ambassador Yoda/Konkobo is deeply experienced in international affairs, having served as her nation's ambassador to Denmark for six years and as Minister for the Promotion of Women. The ambassador, President Ma said, has been involved in humanitarian assistance, women's rights, population issues, and international cooperation, and has a thorough understanding of these issues. Her appointment as ambassador to the ROC points to the importance that the government of Burkina Faso places on its alliance with the ROC, he stated.
President Ma mentioned that he led a delegation from the ROC on a visit to Burkina Faso at the end of January of this year. In addition to understanding some of the bilateral cooperation projects being carried out by the two nations, the president said, the visit was also designed to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the resumption of diplomatic relations between the two countries on February 2, and to congratulate Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore on his 63rd birthday.
President Ma commented that political, economic, and cultural relations between the two nations have grown continually deeper since they restored diplomatic ties. In particular, he said, the ROC's assistance to Burkina Faso in the area of vocational training is on the largest scale of such aid to any of its diplomatic partners. The president also mentioned that bilateral cooperation originally focused on infrastructure development, but over the years has expanded to agriculture, medicine and health, vocational training, and solar energy. Projects in these fields, he noted, have been designed with the specific needs of Burkina Faso in mind.
President Ma praised President Compaore for his contributions to peace in West Africa. For instance, he pointed out, President Compaore has successfully promoted regional peace by mediating between disputing factions in Mali and bringing about the holding of a presidential election there.
As for gender issues, the president stated, the ROC places great emphasis on protecting women's rights. He specifically noted that women make up one-third of the seats in the national legislature, a ratio which is rarely seen in other nations.
Noting that International Women's Day would be held in two weeks on March 8, President Ma invited Ambassador Yoda/Konkobo to participate in related celebrations so as to further understand the position of women in the ROC. He also expressed hope that Ambassador Yoda/Konkobo would continue working to add depth to the bilateral relationship and move the alliance forward.