Burkina Faso has acquired an oil depot at Ghana’s Tema Multi-Purpose Terminal, one of West Africa’s major ports. The storage units will strengthen energy security and facilitate the import of products from partner countries via Ghana’s sea access.
It’s an important step for landlocked Burkina Faso, whose president, Ibrahim Traoré, has repeatedly stressed the need to decrease his country’s dependence on Western powers.
Being landlocked is a major challenge for Ouagadougou in its pursuit of greater self-determination and sovereignty. The same goes for its two neighbouring allies, Mali and Niger.
Together, the three countries have formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) Confederation – after recently exiting the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a bloc accused of being an instrument of the West.
Due to the trio’s landlocked status, Ghana’s role is critical. Under its previous leadership, Accra was Western-aligned and an ECOWAS bastion. But now, under President John Mahama, Ghana is seeking to rebuild trust with the AES, signalling a repositioning of its foreign policy.
Will West Africa at large stay divided between foreign-controlled states and those fighting for sovereignty – or unite for true African independence?