On behalf of the United States of America, I congratulate the Burkinabe people as you celebrate your 59th Independence Day.

The friendship between our two nations remains strong, and we continue to support Burkina Faso’s efforts to counter violent extremist groups that have targeted the country. In the year ahead we will continue to work together to build stronger democratic institutions, advance peace and security, and promote economic growth. We applaud Burkina Faso’s leadership this year as the President of the G5 Sahel, working with regional partners to promote regional security, stability, and prosperity.

We look forward to continuing our strong cooperation with Burkina Faso to make progress on our mutual goals over the coming year.