Accusations by Ibrahim Traoré: Abidjan rejects any pact with jihadists and demands proof
Côte d’Ivoire has reacted to the latest accusations from the Burkinabé president, who accuses it of colluding with armed groups to weaken Ouagadougou. Through its spokesman, Abidjan flatly rejects these allegations and is asking for proof.
Alassane Ouattara et Ibrahim Traoré
For several months, Captain Ibrahim Traoré has maintained that Côte d’Ivoire serves as a rear base for the jihadist groups striking his country. In a media appearance broadcast on Burkina’s national television, he reiterated these accusations, claiming that the terrorists benefit from a non‑aggression pact with Abidjan. “The enemies of Burkina are clearly over there, out in the open, protected”, he said, questioning the Ivorian army’s ability to contain the attacks.
Last April, Ouagadougou announced it had foiled a “major plot” against the regime. At the time, the Minister of Security, Mahamadou Sana, said that the masterminds of the scheme were in Côte d’Ivoire, naming Abdramane Barry. That account, reinforced by Traoré’s statements, continues to fuel tensions between the two neighboring countries.
Faced with these accusations, Abidjan is raising its voice. “We are still waiting for evidence of this accusation,” replied the Ivorian Minister of Communication and government spokesperson, Amadou Coulibaly. He clarified that the Ivorian agents arrested by the Volontaires pour la défense de la patrie (VDP) of Burkina were not spies but officials on a refugee registration mission.
“No interest in destabilizing Burkina”
To support his position, the spokesperson reminded that Côte d’Ivoire hosts more than 80,000 Burkinabé refugees fleeing insecurity. According to him, accusing the teams of the Direction d’Aide et Assistance aux Réfugiés et Apatrides (DAARA) of spying activities is a “fantasy.”
Amadou Coulibaly also highlighted the large presence of Burkinabé nationals in Côte d’Ivoire, estimated at more than 3 million out of a foreign population of 7 million. “We have no interest in this country being destabilized, because we would be the ones to pay the highest price,” he insisted.
Despite these clarifications, President Traoré’s repeated accusations continue to cast a shadow over relations between Abidjan and Ouagadougou, in a regional context already weakened by terrorist activity in the Sahel.