Koudougou: The city of Koudougou is hosting, from October 13 to 17, 2025, a technical reflection workshop on the problem of installing mobile telephone pylons in urban areas.
According to Burkina Information Agency, this workshop is organized by the Ministry of Urban Planning and Housing (MUH) through the General Directorate of Urban Planning, Development and Topography (DGUVT), in collaboration with the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Communications and Posts (ARCEP). The meeting aims to provide concrete solutions to the challenges faced by operators in the implementation of their infrastructures.
The workshop is a continuation of a process initiated in July 2025, recognizing the need for a balance between technological development and the harmonious management of urban space. It aims to resolve the legacy of irregular settlements while proposing a legal framework adapted to the sector.
In his opening address, DGUVT Director General Soliman Ahmed Ouattara welcomed ARCEP's financial support and emphasized the collective responsibility of striking a balance between technological development, public safety, and urban coherence. He emphasized the importance of this workshop in formulating concrete and consensual proposals.
One of the main concerns of the population is the supposed impact of the pylons on health. On this subject, ARCEP representative Soumanan Sanou reassured the participants by indicating that periodic inspections carried out jointly by ARCEP and the National Authority for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (ARSN) show that the power levels emitted by Burkinabe operators are well below the thresholds set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). "At the moment we are speaking, we cannot say that there is an impact on health," he specified, citing experts in the field.
During the five days of work, experts from the DGUVT, ARCEP, telephone operators (MOOV, TELECEL, ORANGE, ATC, Loryn), as well as key organizations such as ANAC, ANEVE, and the Ministry of Health, will work in thematic groups and plenary sessions to produce essential deliverables. These will include a comprehensive inventory of irregular settlements, a draft decree for the exceptional regularization of certain sites, a text regulating the installation of radio stations in urban areas, a single model of terms of reference for environmental and social impact statements, and an evaluation grid for change of use applications.
This workshop represents a decisive step for Burkina Faso in its desire to equip itself with a clear, coherent and shared legal and regulatory framework, guaranteeing controlled urban development, the quality of life of citizens and the sustainable expansion of electronic communications.