I was summoned by Burkinabe junta to explain Akufo-Addo's Wagner claims - Ambassador

Ghana’s Ambassador to Burkina Faso has spoken publicly for the first time about what happened when the military government in his host nation summoned him over a security issue that nearly led to a diplomatic row.

Boniface Gambila, told Accra-based Joy News (on December 29) that as widely reported, the summons by the Burkinabe government was over comments by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's about alleged role of Russian mercenaries in Burkina Faso.

According to him, he explained to the government that Akufo-Addo's comments were

not borne out of malice but rather out of genuine concern over regional security.

“The president took this initiative to be able to tell partners that they need to move in to help Burkina Faso. His Excellency was about seeking the support of partners in this battle, and the battle is a common battle that we are all fighting against, that is terrorism,” he said.

“So, my invitation was to explain the intent behind the message. Before the president went to America for the summit, there was an initiative where he stated that there was a need to find the resources by any means possible for Burkina Faso.

“This was not an issue of malice but an issue of recognising the difficulty Burkina Faso faces and also as a preventive measure to curtail terrorism,” he said.

President Akufo-Addo on the sidelines of the US-Africa Leaders' summit in Washington told U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, that Russia's Wagner mercenaries were operating in Burkina Faso.

“Today, Russian mercenaries are on our northern border. Burkina Faso has now entered into an arrangement to go along with Mali in employing the Wagner forces there,” Akufo-Addo said.

After he was summoned, Burkina Faso's Ministry of Foreign Affairs protested the claim by Akufo-Addo.

National Security Minister Albert Kan-Dapaah was later dispatched to Ouagadougou, in what experts said was a move to further mend fences.

SARA