Burkina Faso’s Prime Minister, Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo, arrived in Niamey on Thursday evening, leading a large delegation to participate in the 17th edition of the Air Festival, scheduled to take place from December 5-7 in Iferouane, northern Niger.
The Burkinabe Head of Government was welcomed at Diori Hamani International Airport by Niger’s Minister of State and Minister of National Defense, General Salifou Mody.
Prime Minister Ouédraogo, who was officially invited by the Nigerien authorities, is set to attend the festival’s opening ceremony on Friday in Iférouane, alongside his Nigerien counterpart, Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine.
The Aïr Festival is a major cultural event held in the Sahara that serves to showcase the region’s rich cultural heritage through traditional performances and cultural exchanges. The 2025 edition is being held under the theme: “Promoting Domestic Tourism and Handicrafts: A Pillar of National Sovereignty and Resilient Development.”
This high-level official visit is a tangible sign of the ongoing efforts to strengthen cultural and tourism ties between the two brotherly nations. It highlights their shared commitment to promoting cultural industries, economic sovereignty, and deeper regional cooperation.
Prime Minister Ouédraogo’s previous visits, such as his attendance at the 45th edition of the national traditional wrestling championship in Dosso in December 2024, consistently underscore the shared commitment of Burkina Faso and Niger to promoting Sahelian cultural practices, which are viewed as crucial drivers of cohesion and closer ties between the two peoples.
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