Burkina Faso: In Russia, the Prime Minister urges students to put their skills at the service of the country

Young Burkinabe pursuing their studies in Russia are encouraged to strive for excellence and to use their skills to contribute to national development. In Moscow on October 30, 2026, Prime Minister Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo invited them to prepare for their return to Burkina Faso in order to contribute to the country's major transformation projects, particularly in the scientific and technological fields.

This exhortation was made during a meeting with the Burkinabe community residing in Russia, organized after his participation in the third Russia-Africa Summit, where he represented the President of Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traoré.

“We have a great need for engineers in Burkina Faso,” the Head of Government emphasized, stressing the necessity of training highly qualified human resources to meet the country’s challenges. He specifically mentioned the announced opening of the Technological Academy of Faso and the reforms undertaken in the education system, with a particular focus on science and technical and vocational training.

Beyond academic success, the Prime Minister urged Burkinabe citizens in Russia to demonstrate discipline, solidarity, and commitment. He also encouraged them to be exemplary ambassadors for their country through their conduct and work.

The meeting also provided an opportunity to review prospects for cooperation between Ouagadougou and Moscow. The Head of Government encouraged the Burkinabe business leaders present at the summit to transform their initial contacts into concrete partnerships and investments for the benefit of Burkina Faso. The economic, scientific, technological, and cultural sectors were among those discussed.

Several community concerns were also raised, including difficulties related to passport renewals, administrative documents and scholarship supplements.

Regarding passports, Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean Marie Traoré recommended that citizens begin the renewal process at least six months before their passports expire. He explained that applications are grouped together for delivery via diplomatic pouch, a procedure designed to reduce costs. He also clarified that applicants can keep their old passports while their applications are being processed.

Regarding administrative procedures, the Prime Minister announced prospects related to the dematerialization of consular services, mentioning in particular a pilot phase launched in Bamako to facilitate access to identity documents for Burkinabe living abroad.

Regarding scholarships, he explained that the government is working to improve the monitoring of Burkinabè students abroad by registering them on the platform of the Ministry of Higher Education. This initiative should allow for a better understanding of their academic paths, their fields of study, and their support needs. Issues related to scholarship supplements will also be examined in light of the government's budgetary capacity.

Through this meeting, the Government reaffirmed its expectations towards its student and economic diaspora: to train, develop skills and contribute concretely to the building of Burkina Faso.

Djamila Kambou