THE President of Burkina Faso, Mr Blaise Compaore, will pay a three-day state visit to Ghana from June 30-July 2, 2002 at the invitation of President John Agyekum Kufuor.
A release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Accra yesterday said the visit is essential in pursuance of the promotion of the good neighbourliness existing between the two countries.
It said during the visit, President Compaore will hold bilateral talks on political, economic and cultural issues between Ghana and Burkina Faso.
It said he will also hold discussions with his Ghanaian counterpart on issues relating to regional integration and security in the West African sub-region. According to the release, President Compaore will attend a Republic Day durbar of the chiefs and people of Somanya in the Eastern Region on July 1.
It said a state banquet will be hosted by President Kufuor in honour of the visiting President in the evening of the same day at the State House during which state honours will be conferred on him.
The release said President Compaore will visit the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi on July 2 and call on the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
It said he will address Parliament in the afternoon of the same day. and, thereafter, lay a wreath at the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum.

Profile of President Compaore

President Blaise Compaore was born on 3 February 1951 in Ouagadougou. After his primary and secondary education, which ended with an " A" level Certificate in 1972, he entered Inter-Armes Military Academy in 1973 in Cameroon and graduated in 1975.

In 1978 he trained in parachuting in Morocco. Four years later in 1982, he underwent an advanced training course for Para Officers in France. His political career started from 1983 when he served as Minister of state in charge of Justice. In 1987 he became Head of State of Burkina Faso and Chairman of the Popular Front, which was the new governing body.

From then he opened up a political spectrum and allowed people of all political persuasions free expression. In December 1991, President Compaore won the first presidential elections of the Fourth Republic of Burkina Faso and was re-elected for a seven-year term.

Between 1988 and 1997 he chaired important conferences of Heads of States of the West African Monetary Union, Conference of Heads of State of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and conference of Heads of States of the Inter-State Committee for Drought and Desertification Control in the Sahel, to mention a few.

His immense contribution to the advancement of peace, economic co-operation in Africa and his good qualities have resulted in the award of several honorary

Doctorates from the prestigious Paris School of Advanced International Studies, an Honorary Doctorate from the Japanese University of Soka in 1995 and the Olympic Order in Gold from the International Committee.

In December 1997 he was awarded the Stela of Hiroshima for his commitment to the cause of International Peace. President Compaore is married to Chantel Terrasson and is a father of one daughter.