5 November 2020, Bobo Dioulasso - The President of Faso, His Excellency Roch Marc Christian KABORE, visited the Headquarters of the West African Health Organisation (WAHO) at the invitation of Professor Stanley OKOLO, the Director General of WAHO. He was accompanied by the Prime Minister of Faso.
The visit is the first by a President of Faso to the offices of WAHO and offered President Kabore the opportunity to meet and exchange views with WAHO staff and to inspect the buildings housing the Institution under the Headquarters Agreement between the Government of Burkina Faso and the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS).
In his welcome remarks, the Director General of WAHO stated that he was honored to receive His Excellency, the President of Burkina Faso, emphasizing that the visit is yet another illustration of the strong support that the Government and People of Burkina Faso have given WAHO since its creation to enable it discharge its mandate of regional integration through improved health of the population. He recalled the multi-faceted contributions of WAHO to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic response in the region, and thanked President Kabore for the encouragement and support of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government towards WAHO's coordination efforts. He reassured the President of Faso that WAHO will continue to tirelessly pursue the fight against disease and public health events in the region. He once again offered Condolences to the President on the recent death of his father.
The Chairman of WAHO Workers' Association (ATO), Dr Namoudou Keita, also welcomed President Kabore to the Institution and expressed the joy and pride of all WAHO staff to be serving in Burkina Faso. He stated that the buildings housing WAHO which were constructed during the colonial era, initially to house the Organization for Cooperation and Coordination in the Fight against Great Endemics (OCCGE), were now dilapidated and no longer met health and safety standards required for a regional institution such as WAHO. He therefore implored the President of Faso to consider an urgent resolution of WAHO’s infrastructure needs.
In his response, the President of Faso expressed his joy to have had the opportunity to visit WAHO. He congratulated the Director General of WAHO for his excellent leadership in the regional COVID-19 pandemic response and thanked WAHO staff for their commitment to the improvement of the health status of the populations of ECOWAS Member States. He also thanked the Director General for representing WAHO at the recent funeral of his late father. The President expressed his surprise at the poor physical condition of the buildings and environment of WAHO Headquarters and undertook to urgently review and progress action on the issue of WAHO infrastructure.
The President posed for photographs with WAHO staff at the end of his visit.
 The President of Burkina Faso and DG of WAHO |
 A cross section of WAHO staff with the President of Burkina Faso
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 The Prime Minister of Burkina Faso and DG of WAHO |
 The President of Burkina Faso inspecting WAHO buildings |
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