Gabonese President Ali Ben Bongo on Tuesday made a friendly and working visit to Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, to promote cooperation between the two countries.
The visiting Gabonese president was welcomed by his Burkinabe counterpart Blaise Compaore when his plane touched down late in the morning.
Bongo described his hours-long stay as a friendly and working visit which is part of his tour of West Africa to enhance ties and cooperation.
The Gabonese president said it was normal for him to come to West Africa after his Central African tour. He praised West Africa as a region
with countries that enjoy excellent relations with Gabon.
"A day after the declaration of election results and my swearing in, I started visiting my peers and colleagues to introduce myself and to give them our thanks for the support they accorded us," he said.
Ouagadougou was the first stop of his West African tour, the Gabonese president said alongside Compaore, adding they both favor and believe in south-south relations.
The two leaders also discussed international issues of common concern. "With all that is happening now on the international arena, it will be prudent that we talk about them either as brothers or as neighboring countries," Bongo said.
The Gabonese president, who was elected last year to succeed his father at the top post, hailed the excellent relations with Burkina Faso, hoping for the expansion of cooperation to all areas.
"I am also here so that we can reaffirm our excellent relations on the political front and to insist that this should translate into all other
domains," he said.
Bongo left Ouagadougou late in the afternoon to go on to Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, which is the second leg in his West African trip.