Indonesia and Burkina Faso seal cooperation pact and visa-free travel agreement

During a meeting on September 25, Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono and Burkina Faso’s Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré concluded a cooperation framework that broadens technical assistance, capacity building and business exchanges, and they also signed a diplomatic and service visa-exemption agreement. Indonesia will host Burkinabe participants at Trade Expo Indonesia from October 14-18, seeking to boost trade that has slipped from US$5.8 million to US$5.3 million in the first seven months of the year.

In a separate bilateral session, Sugiono and Cyprus’s Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos signed an identical visa-free pact and explored investment opportunities in downstream value-added processing for Indonesian commodities. Trade with Cyprus similarly declined, with exports dropping from US$10.7 million to US$9.4 million. The minister’s itinerary concluded with a discussion with International Committee of the Red Cross President Mirjana Spoljaric Egger on enhancing civilian protection in conflict zones, notably the Gaza Strip.