Burkina Faso inks deal with Russia to build nuclear power plant to solve energy deficit

The Burkina Faso military government has signed an agreement with the Russian government for the construction of a nuclear power plant in the West African country, in a move that aims to “cover the energy needs of the population,” less than a quarter of which had access to electricity by late 2020, according to the African Development Bank (ADB).
The nuclear power plant deal was sequel to talks between Burkina Faso’s military leader, Ibrahim Traore, and the Russian President, Vladimir Putin in July during the Russia-Africa summit. During the meeting, Traore had requested Putin’s support in setting up a nuclear power plant in the West African country, which, according to him, would help the country to meet its energy demands. “Our position is rather strategic because we are in the heart of West Africa and we have an energy deficit in the sub-region,” the junta recently said in a statement. Burkina Faso has been ruled by a military junta since last year and has sought to diversify its international partners, moving closer to Russia in particular.
“The government of Burkina Faso has signed a memorandum of understanding for the construction of a nuclear power plant,” the government said in a statement. The deal was signed at the Russian Energy Week in Moscow, which was attended by Burkina Faso’s energy minister Simon-Pierre Boussim. “The construction of this nuclear power plant in Burkina Faso is intended to cover the energy needs of the population,” it added. Russia’s state atomic energy agency Rosatom said in a statement that “the memorandum is the first document in the field of the peaceful use of atomic energy between Russia and Burkina Faso.” It noted that the agreement laid the foundations for cooperation in areas including the use of nuclear energy in industry, agriculture and medicine.