Day: February 1, 2024

The withdrawal of the Sahel countries from ECOWAS, the appointment of the president of the CSC and the elimination of the Standards at the CAN dominate the Burkinabè daily newspapers Without comment , the Burkinabè dailies appearing this Thursday extensively relayed the interview given by President Ibrahim Traoré to AFO media journalist, Alain Foka, about the withdrawal of Burkina, Mali and Niger from ECOWAS. 'We are leaving ECOWAS but we remain pan-African,' headlines the public daily SIdwaya, quoting Captain Ibrahim Traoré. "The Head of State clarifies a 'well-considered decision'", echo the private dailies Le Pays, Today in Faso and L'Express du Faso. 'We took the time to observe, to analyze before deciding', reads Le Quotidien on its front page while La Cohésion is interested in the same subject under this title: 'Our route is a path of no return' The Paalga Observer, which did not mention a word about this interview with the Burkinabè head of state, focused on the appointment of Idrissa Ouédraogo to the post of president of the Superior Council of Communication (CSC). The dean of Burkina's daily newspapers affirms that this appointment, which was rumored in certain circles, is "unsurprising." The newspaper explains that the 'new commander of the media gendarme brigade', also born in Ivory Coast, distinguished himself, in a well-attended program on BF1 television, as a fervent defender of the power of Captain Ibrahim Traore. Le Pays, the other major private daily, while giving its headline to the new president of the CSC, contented itself with publishing the appointment decree and the CV of Idrissa Ouédraogo. 'The new president will be sworn in today, Thursday, February 1,' simply writes the state daily Sidwaya. In the Sport chapter, Sidwaya looks back on the defeat of the Stallions against the Eagles of Mali at the CAN. Reporting the analysis of the Etalons coach, Hubert Velud, Sidwaya writes that this defeat is 'a big disappointment' which is partly explained by a lack of concentration of the player s on the field. 'Two goals against Algeria, two goals against Angola, two goals against Mali. It's far too much for a team that wants to go far,' lamented the coach who has nevertheless achieved 'good things' since his arrival at the head of the Stallions 20 months ago. On this subject, the daily newspapers have widely opened their columns to Analyzes by professionals and amateurs. 'You have to ask yourself the right questions,' says Bertrand Traoré, the captain of the Etalons in Sidwaya. 'We didn't act quickly. We were surprised,' another player confided to the public daily. 'We cannot go to such a competition with sick players,' said a coach in Le Pays. 'The team lacked a leader on the ground,' explains a clerk in the same newspaper. 'Citizens between disappointments and proposals', headlines La Cohésion while Observateur Paalga sees 'Supporters in bitterness and disappointment'. L'Express du Faso also shares the words 'Dissatisfied supporters of Bobo and Banfora' Source: Burkina Information Agency

The Nigerien army announced on Wednesday that it had eliminated around fifteen terrorists, apprehended several others as well as their accomplices, and destroyed a significant quantity of their logistical equipment, during an operation carried out since January 26, 2024 in the Téra department, Tillabéry region (west), local media reported. According to public television, this operation, launched as part of the sanitation of the right bank of the Niger River, where several very active terrorist groups are located, has also made it possible to date to 'dismantle five gold panning sites clandestine, neutralize several other terrorists, discover and defuse several improvised explosive devices (IED) as well as two IED manufacturing workshops, seize logistics, fuel, motorcycles, food and vehicles. The same source adds that two unfortunate incidents linked to improvised explosive devices occurred during the dismantling of clandestine gold sites, leading to the death of a member of the Defense and Security Forces and the injury of two others, evacuated with the assistance of the Burkinabe partners. The operation called 'Passa', launched by the highest authorities of the country, is actively continuing in the area, the army announced. Source: Burkina Information Agency

The Ministry of the Interior, Public Security and Territorial Administration signed a decree this Wednesday, January 31, 2024, which suspends until further notice, the authorization to exercise granted to the association called ''Maison de la presse'' (MDP) following decree No. 0308/MISPD/ACR of May 22, 2017. An ad hoc management committee of the Association is created for this purpose, a committee composed of the Secretary General of the Ministry of the Interior as President, and the Secretary General of the Ministry of Communication as rapporteur. The other members of this committee are made up of the Director General of Public and Legal Affairs, the Director of Public Liberties and the Director of Legislation. The Maison de la Presse is an umbrella association bringing together all the structures of the press sector in Niger. The outgoing office of this association, which was at the end of its mandate, had twice agreed a general assembly in order to proceed with the election of new members. These two summonses had been suspended by the Ministry of the Interior. Source: Burkina Information Agency

The economic operator, Dahandi Lankoandé, also Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Tienu Yaaba Company (ETY), handed over on Thursday to Bilanga, 20 tonnes of food and boxes of soap, with a total value of 5 million FCFA to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the rural commune of Bilanga, in the province of Gnagna (East). The donation from the economic operator, Dahandi Lankoandé and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Tienu Yaaba Company (ETY) is composed of 400 bags of corn of 50 kg and 30 boxes of soap, with a total value of 5 million FCFA. The food delivery ceremony was chaired by the president of the special municipal delegation, Amadou Sanogo, in the presence of administrative, military and customary authorities as well as beneficiaries. For the donor, Dahandi Lankoandé, who is not making his first gesture, each citizen must be sensitive to the living conditions of the displaced. 'Beyond supporting IDPs, I want, through this donation, to encourage other economic operators to do useful work by s upporting local authorities in providing multifaceted assistance to internally displaced persons,' he maintained. The President of the special municipal delegation of Bilanga, Amadou Sanogo, expressed the recognition of his community to the donor for his humanism towards the IDPs of Bilanga. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Mr. Sanogo invited other goodwill to follow in the footsteps of the CEO of the ETY. The donor's gesture was also welcomed by the spokesperson for the IDPs of Bilanga, Dimanchi Lankoandé. Mr. Lankoandé also hoped that all IDPs would be resettled in their respective localities. Source: Burkina Information Agency

The Ministry of the Interior, Public Security and Territorial Administration signed a decree this Wednesday, January 31, 2024, which suspends until further notice, the authorization to exercise granted to the association called ''Maison de la presse'' (MDP) following decree No. 0308/MISPD/ACR of May 22, 2017. An ad hoc management committee of the Association is created for this purpose, a committee composed of the Secretary General of the Ministry of the Interior as President, and the Secretary General of the Ministry of Communication as rapporteur. The other members of this committee are made up of the Director General of Public and Legal Affairs, the Director of Public Liberties and the Director of Legislation. The Maison de la Presse is an umbrella association bringing together all the structures of the press sector in Niger. The outgoing office of this association, which was at the end of its mandate, had twice agreed a general assembly in order to proceed with the election of new members. These two summonses had been suspended by the Ministry of the Interior. Source: Burkina Information Agency Preparations for the 2024/2025 academic year were at heart of a small Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Ahmed Hachani at the Government Palace in Kasbah on Thursday. The Prime Minister stressed the need to create all "favourable conditions and ensure optimal readiness on the organisational, financial and logistical fronts to ensure the success of the coming academic year," according to a statement from the Prime Ministry. During the meeting, the national paper needs were discussed and the readiness of the National Cellulose and Esparto Paper Company (SNCPA) was reviewed. It was emphasised that the company should play its role in providing all the necessary materials for the production of subsidised textbooks and exercise books. The meeting was attended by Minister of Finance Sihem Boughdiri Namsia, Minister of Social Affairs Malek Zahi, Minister of Economy and Planning Feryel Ouerghi, Minister of Industry, Mines and Energy Fatma Thabet Chiboub and Minister of Education Mohamed Ali Boughdiri. So urce: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

On Tuesday, President Ibrahim Traoré reaffirmed the need to guarantee a minimum of security in Burkina Faso, before considering the organization of elections. 'How are we going to organize the elections now? », asked President Traoré during his interview on Tuesday with journalist Alain Foka from Infomedia. For Captain Ibrahim Traoré, control of the national territory is a sine qua non condition for the organization of elections. 'There must be a minimum of security so that if there is a campaign, people can go everywhere in Burkina to explain their ideas to the Burkinabe people and the people will choose because there is no longer any question of 'go distribute tickets' said President Traoré. Ibrahim Traoré also addressed the issue of electoral fraud and is considering reforms to the electoral code before any election. 'If you think you can govern the country, you explain your political program, you say what you are going to do. Perhaps after a while, the people will evaluate you and say whether you sh ould continue your mandate or not,' affirmed President Traoré. Captain Traoré reaffirmed the need to reform the electoral code to put an end to these practices of the political class. And to succeed in the mission, Ibrahim Traoré intends to work to raise awareness. 'Our mission is to raise awareness and ensure that people never again accept' electoral corruption, underlined President Traoré. For the President of the Transition, everything will be done so that there is no longer any buying of consciences. 'If you are caught in (conscience shopping) you will be disqualified from the elections' reaffirmed President Ibrahim Traoré. Source: Burkina Information Agency

Two candidates in Somar 1 (the Somar delegation) are vying for the second round of local elections in the governorate of Tataouine (February 4, 2024). In the first round,Mohamed Boukraa and Saleh Bouhoudi obtained 133 and 115 votes respectively. Candidate Mohamed Boukraa promised to provide assistance for small farmers, promote youth entrepreneurship, connection the area to the drinking water network, upgrade the road linking Somar to Neffatya via Oued Fessi and the one linking Chemilia to Somar via Oued El Hicha. Candidate Saleh Bouhoudi pledged to improve services in the region. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Infrastructure, healthcare and employment for youth top the priorities advanced by candidates in Oued Maaden in Nefza (governorate of Béja). Hedi El Moussi (35.32% of votes in the first round) told TAP he was pushed by the desire to find a solution to the issue of youth employment when he stood for local elections. Infrastructure and the creation of a local basic healthcare centre were his main pledges along with enouraging agriculture and providing social assistance to low-income households . Lotfi Abdelli (44.95% of first round votes) undertook to build bridges and rehabilitate roads and rural tracks to break the isolation of the region. Drinking water supply and creating mountain lakes for irrigation are additional pledges. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Candidates Imen Arfaoui and Anis Khalfaoui for the run-off local elections in East Grombalia locality, Nabeul governorate, continue their electoral campaign. In the first round, they secured 324 and 296 votes, respectively. Candidate Imen Arfaoui, 40 years old, pledged to champion local development by activating mechanisms and programmes for employment and supporting entrepreneurship. She committed to establishing an industrial zone in Daouar Boussen, supporting local farmers, enhancing healthcare services at the Grombalia hospital, establishing a primary school in Daouar Hlel and forming joint committees involving local residents and authorities for a more attentive consideration of residents' concerns. Meanwhile, 41-year-old Anis Khalfaoui promises to create a support fund for launching businesses in the locality and advocates for streamlining administrative procedures for young entrepreneurs and university graduates. He also pledged to expedite the launch of the technical inspection centre in Grombali a and the establishment of the sectoral centre for general mechanics training. Additionally, he vows to support the agricultural sector and activate the communitarian companies programme. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

A workshop on the launch of the collaborative regional plan for the national multisectoral strategy on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (2018-2025) was held on Wednesday in Tunis, at the initiative of the Primary Health Care Directorate in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO) office in Tunis, targeting all the regional health directorates. The workshop was an opportunity to emphasise the importance of the collaborative approach in achieving prevention objectives through awareness-raising, education on health risk behaviours, increasing coordination between all regions and promoting community health, according to a Health Ministry press release. Health Minister Ali Mrabet underlined in this connection, the key role of prevention in protecting the health of individuals and society, and in raising awareness of the dangers of smoking and drug use. He also pointed to the need to adopt a healthy lifestyle, eat a balanced diet and engage in regular physical activity, comm ending the efforts of all the stakeholders involved in promoting the prevention of non-communicable diseases. WHO's representative in Tunisia Ibrahim Zik underscored for his part, the need for close cooperation in managing the risks associated with these diseases, considering that prevention is essential if development is to be achieved. The main goal of this action plan is to step up collaboration between regional health departments in order to achieve common objectives in the fight against non-communicable diseases, and to draw up an integrated awareness, prevention and healthcare plan for an effective and sustainable response to these diseases, thereby strengthening the health of society as a whole. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse