BRUSSELS, 11 February, 2021 (TON): Marc Christian Kabore, Burkina Faso President started an official visit in Brussels on Tuesday and met with senior European Union officials.

The meeting is driven towards strengthening the socio-economic partnership, security, and health cooperation between Burkina Faso and the EU.

Kabore met European Council President Charles Michel and European Parliament President David Sassoli among others.

The West African country, which at first managed to avoid a catastrophic surge of the pandemic crisis, is now trying to cope with a much deadlier resurgence.

Along with Mali and Niger, Burkina Faso is one of those countries most affected by rebels and violence in a conflict in the Sahel that has continued to spread since it began in 2012 in northern Mali.

After Belgium, the Burkinabe President will meet his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday at the Elysée Palace in Paris.

On his current visit, he also looks at greater cooperation with the others to form stability in his region, even as he is about to end his five-year term as president.