Faith Nyasuguta
The Siberian city of Novosibirsk in southern Russia has proposed a twinning relationship with Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso. This initiative was suggested by Burkina Faso’s Ambassador to Russia, Aristide Rapugdondba Ludovic Tapsoba, during the Technoprom-2024 conference currently being held in Novosibirsk from August 27 to 30.
Both cities have been nurturing a growing partnership in education, which has paved the way for further collaboration. Ambassador Tapsoba expressed a desire to strengthen ties between the two cities through this twinning arrangement.
He highlighted the significance of the education many Burkinabe students receive in Russia, which has created a foundation for closer connections.
“The education we received and are receiving in Russia creates ties that unite us. I propose a partnership to bring us even closer ”establishing twinning relations between Ouagadougou and Novosibirsk,” Tapsoba stated.
The Technoprom-2024 event, centered on science and technology as key drivers of Russia’s socioeconomic and territorial development, provided a fitting platform for this announcement. The ambassador emphasized the deep-rooted educational links between the two nations, suggesting that such a partnership would further enhance their relationship.
Novosibirsk Governor Andrey Travnikov expressed openness to the proposal, acknowledging the potential benefits of fostering a connection between the two cities. “We have maintained the tradition of twinning relations between cities and regions since Soviet times,” Travnikov noted. “In response to your proposal and potentially other similar suggestions, I can say that we are open to it; our diplomatic procedures allow for such partnerships.”
In addition to this proposed twinning, Novosibirsk State University (NSU) announced plans to promote cooperation with universities in West Africa. Evgeny Sagaydak, Head of NSU’s Education Export Department, revealed that an initial group of 20 Russian institutions will participate in the partnership, with over 40 more Russian colleges expected to join later.
The primary objective of this collaboration is to train skilled professionals for key West African sectors that depend heavily on research and innovation. This effort aims to boost educational exchanges and strengthen ties between Russia and West African nations, building on the foundation of shared academic and developmental goals.
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