Ouagadougou and Novosibirsk Seal Twinning Agreement to Boost Cultural and Educational Exchanges

Novosibirsk, November 17, 2025 - The President of the Special Delegation of Ouagadougou, Maurice Konaté, and the Mayor of Novosibirsk, Maksim Kudryavtsev, have signed a twinning agreement formalizing decentralized cooperation between the capitals of Burkina Faso and Siberia.

Signed on November 11, the agreement marks the culmination of a process initiated several months ago and covers multiple sectors, including education, arts, culture, sports, and tourism. The partnership aims to strengthen exchanges of expertise and deepen ties between the Burkinabè and Russian communities.

Coinciding with the ceremony, a delegation from Burkina Faso’s Ministry of Trade inaugurated a cultural exhibition titled "The Grandeur of Bronze: Traditional Culture of Burkina Faso" at the Novosibirsk Regional Museum. The exposition, which will run for three months, highlights the artistic heritage of Burkina Faso, offering Russian visitors the opportunity to discover bronze works and traditional craftsmanship. A dedicated Burkinabè booth showcasing souvenirs and cultural items has also been set up at the Novosibirsk Regional Library.

Novosibirsk, the third-largest city in Russia with a population of about 1.63 million, serves as the administrative capital of Siberia and a major cultural and economic hub - offering what officials describe as “significant potential” for this new cooperation framework.