Day: March 18, 2024

The National Coordinator of the Agricultural Resilience and Competitiveness Project (PRéCa), Adama Siri, came on Thursday March 7, 2024, to inquire about the progress of the work on the development site agricultural area behind the Sindou peaks. A delay was noted in terms of developments and infrastructure under construction. In order to meet the expectations of the State in relation to the implementation of the agricultural offensive, the national coordinator of the Agricultural Resilience and Competitiveness Project (PRéCA), Adama Siri, came on Thursday March 7, 2024, inquire about the level of work carried out on the 280 hectare site currently being developed behind the Sindou peaks. Siri was accompanied by the High Commissioner of Léraba, Mahamadi Congo and the provincial director in charge of Agriculture of Léraba, Pambagna Koura. The delegation noted a delay in the developments and infrastructure being built. 'This area is subject to very close monitoring by the government as part of the implementat ion of the agricultural offensive,' he mentioned. Adama Siri indicated his dissatisfaction with the projection of the deadline set with 2.66% execution rate against 38% consumed deadline. The PRéCA Coordinator thanked and encouraged the village chiefs and landowners of the Niofila and Douna development site, the provincial police and environment directorate who were involved in carrying out the project. The Minister of Agriculture, Animal and Fisheries Resources, Ismaël Sombié, launched the activities of this site on January 15, 2024. Source: Burkina Information Agency

The Minister of National Education, Literacy and the Promotion of National Languages, Jacques Sosthène Dingara, spoke on Thursday March 14, 2024 in Dédougou, with education stakeholders in the Boucle of Mouhoun. As part of the mobilization of stakeholders and partners around education, the Minister in charge of National Education, Jacques Sosthène Dingara, went to Dédougou on Thursday March 14, 2024, to discuss with stakeholders in education. It is also about setting out its vision and the reforms envisaged for a resilient education system that meets the aspirations of the moment and collecting the concerns of the various stakeholders. During his stay, he paid a courtesy visit to customary authorities, visited a relocated school in Dédougou and shared his vision with education stakeholders in Boucle du Mouhoun. Before presenting the areas of reflection of his vision of the education system, a presentation of the education situation in the Boucle du Mouhoun region was made. From this presentation, it appe ars that at the level of preschool, primary and non-formal education, the number of internally displaced students and internally displaced learners listed in educational structures as of February 29, 2024, amounts to 51,340 including 25,107 girls (68 in preschool, 51,043 in primary and 229 in non-formal education). This number represents 13.60% of the general number of students and learners in preschool, primary and non-formal education, estimated at 377,251. On the same date, at the post-primary and secondary education level, there were 18,589 internally displaced students, including 9,522 girls. This number represents 12.16% of the general number of post-primary and secondary students which is 78,532. In January 2024, the staff of the regional directorate in charge of Education in Boucle du Mouhoun totaled 7,919 agents, including 7,683 agents in the field and 267 supervisors. The DREPS staff numbers 3,873 agents, ie 3,098 teachers in the field and 61 educational supervisors. The security context in the Boucle du Mouhoun region is quite worrying to the point that it is facing numerous difficulties. Despite this, the resumption of school activities across the entire regional area, the strengthening of resilience as well as the improvement of academic results remain the major challenges for which all stakeholders at the regional level are striving to achieve. . Minister Dingara paid a vibrant tribute to the education stakeholders in Boucle du Mouhoun for their resilience despite the difficult security context to keep the torch of education high. He outlined his vision in eight points, namely career management, the digitalization of educational manuals, the development or generalization of emergency alternating classes, and the improvement of continuing training for teachers. According to him, the reform of the education system, the improvement of the platform for organizing school competitions, the improvement of the school canteen and the cultivation of the spirit of anticipation and innovation feature pr ominently. The concerns focused on the reforms of the education system, the equipment problem of the scientific high school of Dédougou, the management of the careers of the agents, the support of the facilitators in the field of literacy, the fluid communication of information with the social partners. The various concerns raised were the subject of responses with all members of the mission. The actors welcomed the initiative of such a meeting with their supervisory minister, anything which allows us to better understand each other in order to meet the challenge of education in Burkina Faso. Before the meeting with education stakeholders, the ministerial delegation presented its greetings to the customary notables of the city, visited the site of a primary school of the CEB of Douroula relocated to Dédougou and held a working session with the technical services of the DREPPNF and the DREPS. Source: Burkina Information Agency

Ouagadougou: A delegation from the communities of Sollé accompanied by the President of the special delegation, Issouf Ouattara announced during a press briefing at Savane Medias on Friday March 15, 2024, the contribution of the displaced populations of Sollé to Ouahigouya, the sum of 2 million CFA francs to the Patriotic Support Fund. It is a certificate of payment to the Public Treasury of an amount of 2,030,500 F that the representatives of the populations presented to the media as proof of the remittance of their contribution to said fund. The ceremony took place during a press briefing at Savane Medias, on Friday March 15, 2024. According to the spokesperson for the nationals of Sollé, Naaba Bouli de Sollé, the idea came from the populations of Sollé, to make their contribution to the efforts to reconquer the territory launched by President Ibrahim Traoré. According to Naaba Bouli de Sollé, the populations reaffirmed through this gesture, their commitment alongside the government and the Defense and Security Forces (FDS) as well as the Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland (VDP), to defend their lands. In addition to this gesture, contributions in kind were also made on site in Sollé for the benefit of the fighting forces. The representative of the populations invited all the daughters and sons of Sollé to remain united for the best interests of the commune of Sollé. Located in the Loroum province, 275 kilometers north of Ouagadougou, Sollé is prey to incursions by armed terrorist groups. Source: Burkina Information Agency

The secretary general of the Kossi province, Firmin Bassolé, chaired this Thursday, March 14, 2024 in Nouna, an advocacy workshop on the vaccination campaign against measles and rubella. The meeting was attended by customary and religious authorities, media people and defense and security forces. Burkina Faso experiences frequent measles epidemics, due to low routine measles vaccination coverage. This performance is impacted by the deterioration of the security situation and the displacement of populations. To deal with this insufficiency in coverage and reduce the number of zero doses, the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene, supported by its technical and financial partners, is organizing a follow-up vaccination campaign with the RR vaccine from 15 to March 21, 2024 . This campaign aims to strengthen the immunity of children aged 9 months to 59 months against measles and rubella. The secretary general of the Kossi province, Firmin Bassolé, called for effective involvement of participants and mobilizat ion of the target for a better rendering of the efforts of actors on the ground. The head of the expanded vaccination program, Ibrahim Ouedraogo, in his presentation, gave guidelines on the campaign and the strategies implemented for its success. Jonas Bourgou presented a communication relating to the restitution of the community survey carried out in the town of Nouna on the risks and reduction of maternal and neonatal mortality due to poor attendance at health centers, hygiene and sanitation The head doctor of the Nouna health district, Koabié Bakiuan, spoke on the issue of supplying health facilities with water. Concerns and suggestions were favorably echoed by municipal authorities for the improvement of working conditions in health structures for the happiness of the populations. Source: Burkina Information Agency

The Ouagadougou Oasis Lions Club, Dédougou Grenier with the partnership of the NGO Nouvelle Planète and the Cercle Nazi Boni for education and culture, offered on Saturday March 16, 2024, 1,200 books to the Center of public reading and cultural activities (CELPAC) of Dédougou, in order to enrich its library and encourage the population to read. Nowadays, young people are more and more absorbed in social networks and place less importance on reading, which reduces their performance in literary subjects at school. As the writer Jean Jaurès said, 'reading is the key to everything'. Indeed, reading facilitates exchanges between societies. It is important both in everyday life and at school. In everyday life, it is an instrument of information, communication and administrative management. It also provides access to education, general and professional culture. It is convinced of this importance of reading that the Lions Clubs Ouagadougou Oasis and Dédougou Grenier with the partnership of the NGO Nouvelle Planèt e have chosen young people to invest in giving them knowledge and know-how. For the President of the special municipal delegation of Dédougou, patron of the ceremony, Dieudonné Tougfo, the gesture of the friends of the Lions clubs is a great initiative. For him, it contributes to the good education of society but also to allow young schoolchildren, students and anyone in the town to benefit from this important library which is the Public Reading and Cultural Animation Center (CELPAC) of Dédougou. Tougfo has shown its availability to support donors for any action within the framework of the development of the municipality. 'I will personally work alongside the head of CELPAC to ensure that these books serve the population and that they are truly well maintained,' he promised. The godmother of the ceremony, the Vice-President of Women's Participation of District 403A3, Julie Prudence Nignan/Somda, welcomed the initiative and noted the importance of reading for the integral development of man in a context m arked by the abusive use of social networks to the detriment of the book. 'Dear young people, dear students, I invite you to spend less time on the phone and devote more time to reading because it develops your mind and improves your academic results,' she advised. In the opinion of Ida Hatini Toé/Bonzi, this donation is the result of the partnership between the NGO Suisse Nouvelle Planète and the Ouagadougou Oasis and Dédougou Grenier Lions clubs. 'These books are intended for all levels from children to adults. I invite the population, especially young people, to read to cultivate themselves and improve their level of culture,' she said. In receiving the donation, the main facilitator of CELPAC, Raïssa Sidibé/Toé, expressed her gratitude to the donors and invited the population to attend CELPAC to be true companions of the book. She took the opportunity to request shelves for the library's shelving. This will keep the books well preserved and protect them from termites. Ms. Sidibé has undertaken to ma ke the works received available to readers as soon as possible. 'I undertake to take all measures for rapid processing of these works, anything which will allow their circulation for the happiness of our readers,' she concluded. The Dédougou Public Reading and Cultural Animation Center (CELPAC) opened its doors in 1990. Source: Burkina Information Agency

The Chief of Staff of the National Gendarmerie, Colonel Kouagri Natama chaired the graduation ceremony of the second wave of the first promotion of auxiliary gendarmerie students, on Friday March 15, 2024, at the Center d Instruction of the National Gendarmerie (CIGN), located in the Gbakonon district of Gaoua. Nearly 1,500 rank-and-file gendarmes are committed to making the liberation of the territory their main focus. The Burkinabè army registers new fighters in its ranks. Nearly 1,500 auxiliaries of the national gendarmerie trained at the National Gendarmerie Training Center located in the Gbakonon district of Gaoua have just completed their promotional outing on Friday March 15, 2024. These gendarmes are part of the second wave of the first promotion of auxiliary gendarme students. After 5 months of initial military training (Editor's note: October 12, 2023, date on which recruits were the center), 1,498 auxiliary gendarmes including 8 women with 100 specialists in various fields such as masonry, carpe ntry, building electricity, welding, maintenance of motor vehicles... were presented to the flag of Burkina Faso. These ranks of the national gendarmerie also received their epaulettes. Through these various acts, they are now able to strengthen the strength of the National Armed Forces and serve the Nation. This second wave, like the first wave, was named 'Yari Adama Oussé' by the Chief of Staff of the National Gendarmerie, Colonel Kouagri Natama. The late Yari Adama Oussé, former gendarme and former chief of Gaoua canton who died on August 12, 2021. For Colonel Kouagri Natama, the recruitment of auxiliary gendarmes responds to a desire of the country's primary authorities in order to meet the need for coverage of the national territory. This network also meets the need for the fight against terrorism. According to him, this promotion which has just been released will be constituted and organized into marching units alongside the other defense and security forces, which are already hard at work for the missions of reconquest and consolidation of the territory. For his part, Squadron Leader Emile Soudré, commander of the CIGN, indicated that the training focused essentially on general military training focused on training in the military environment, combat training, professional training based on the specific law enforcement modules, an internship in operational territorial defense aimed at preparing them for internal security operations, general training aimed at consolidating academic achievements through conferences on various themes. According to him, the project to recruit auxiliary gendarmes was launched in 2022 in order to strengthen the capacities of the operations of the national gendarmerie. 'This exit ceremony reflects the command's vision which is to strengthen the tactical response with a density of capable combatants capable of supporting conventional units in the drive to reconquer the national territory,' he added. This is why Squadron Leader Emile Soudré invited them to show discipline, loyalty and a spirit of sacrifice in all circumstances in order to carry the torch of the institution high. The godfather of the promotion, Colonel Boukari Zoungrana, also a former minister in charge of security, provided advice to his godchildren. He, in fact, made it clear that joining the national gendarmerie is a priesthood. 'The profession of gendarme is that of men of honor. Nothing is achieved without hard work,' he told his godchildren. This is why he invited them to work tirelessly, to fulfill their duties without expecting anything in return and above all to cultivate the values of patriotism, loyalty, integrity and honor which underpin the national gendarmerie. . During the ceremony, the auxiliary gendarmes sang the promotion song then the gendarmerie anthem. They thus made the commitment to make the liberation of the territory their battle horse. 'We are regular soldiers ready to serve our country,' said the major of this second wave, Dieudonné Zongo. To do this, he invited the population to support them in their missions to secure the country. The ceremony ended with the demonstration of the military know-how of the new soldiers and the parade of the troops. Source: Burkina Information Agency

France is escalating "irresponsible rhetoric" that could plunge the world into nuclear war, said Dmitri Polianski, first deputy of Russia's permanent representative to the UN. 'The conditions for the use of nuclear weapons have been clearly set out in our nuclear doctrine, and we stand firmly by them. It is a shame that today we have not heard any condemnation of those who are actually fanning nuclear rhetoric, for example US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin speaking of the use of the full range of military means, including of nuclear weapons as part of an expanded deterrence on the Korean peninsula, or Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu uttering a real nuclear threat towards Iran. We have also not forgotten London's desire to press the nuclear button. We also see the intensification of irresponsible rhetoric in Paris which risks plunging the world into nuclear war,' he said during the open debates at the UN Security Council on nuclear disarmament and non-nuclear disarmament. -proliferation of nucle ar weapons. Source: Burkina Information Agency

The Catholic faithful of the diocese of Ouagadougou met at the Saint Joseph of Nazouma shrine in Kombissiri on Sunday March 17, 2024 for the diocesan pilgrimage. Praise, adoration, thanksgiving and prayer for peace in Burkina Faso were the highlights of this day dedicated to Saint Joseph. It is in the village of Nazouma, about ten kilometers south of Kombissiri in the parish of Saint Joseph Artisan, that the faithful met for the diocesan pilgrimage. This annual meeting in Nazouma was an opportunity for the thousands of Catholic faithful from the parishes of the diocese of Ouagadougou to pray through the intercession of Saint Joseph for peace in families and in Burkina Faso. The theme chosen this year for the pilgrimage is: 'Ite Ad Joseph' 'Let's go to Joseph'. The celebration of the mass, which brought together around ten priests, was presided over by Father Yves Marie Joseph Tanga delegated by the Archbishop of Ouagadougou, Monseigneur Prosper Kontiébo. The homily of the day, 5th Sunday of Lent, focused ma inly on the life of Joseph, the husband of Mary, the mother of Jesus. The celebrant Father, Yves Marie Joseph Tanga, invited the faithful to take Joseph, foster father of Jesus, as a model of life. 'Let us turn to Joseph, let us go to Joseph,' he spoke to the faithful. For Father Yves Tanga, the life of Joseph is an itinerary of the true discipline of Jesus. According to him, those who love Jesus try to imitate Joseph and follow in those of Joseph, a simple and loyal servant of the Lord. 'Joseph means knowing how to step back to let the glory of God appear,' he explained. He invited Christians to speak to Joseph when all seems lost for good because according to him, Joseph is the permanent intercessor. He urged the pilgrims to ask Joseph to intercede with God for themselves, their families and for the whole country. To conclude, the celebrant of the day invited all Catholic Christians to appropriate the virtues of Joseph to win the friendship of GOD, namely simplicity, detachment, love of the hidden life an d loyalty. It was under a blazing sun that the thousands of faithful demonstrated their faith through praise, adoration and songs of thanksgiving in the presence of the provincial administrative authorities of Bazèga. Present at the pilgrimage despite the weight of age, the retired former archbishop of Ouagadougou Monsignor Jean Marie Untaani Compaoré returned to the history of the sanctuary dedicated to Saint Joseph in Nazouma, which the late Issoufou Joseph Colombo, former man of State, son of the village and he had the idea to create. As part of the organization of the pilgrimage, several activities, including the conference on the life of Joseph, the rosary to Saint Joseph, testimonies of the faithful whose prayers were answered by coming to pray at the sanctuary and the concert-adoration organized on watches over the sanctuary in Nazouma Source: Burkina Information Agency

Ouagadougou: The Combatant Forces carried out operations this weekend in the North-Central and Eastern regions which made it possible to neutralize numerous terrorists, recover equipment and consolidate the pacification of certain localities, the AIB learned from security sources. Following the air-land operations of March 15, 2024 which made it possible to get rid of several terrorists in the Kossouka area in the Center-North, the evil forces wanted to attack peaceful citizens at all costs. This is why survivors returned in small groups on the morning of March 16 to carry out their dirty work. These groups will be joined by other assassins under a large tree. Fortunately, the air vectors were keeping watch and were able to strike this horde before its assault. In addition to the Kossouka area, other groups of criminals planned to attack in the Silmangue area. This is how, on March 15, a group of terrorists was spotted in a village of Tarpako, Yalgo Center-North zone). The next morning, these hundreds of bloodthirsty criminals set up for battle for Silmangue. They are seen for several kilometers, on motorcycles and vehicles. It is at the moment when the hordes are stopping to take final instructions that the pilots will launch successive strikes. A large group of killers is buried under a thick tree, forcing the others to come out of hiding and flee. But the pilots maintain the pressure and neutralize as many of them as possible. Survivors who jumped into a pickup truck full of logistics couldn't go far because a missile sent them to hell. Early in the morning of March 17, elements of the 5th Rapid Intervention Battalion launched an operation in the enemy zone with the aim of neutralizing any criminals lurking there. The operations continued on Sunday March 17, 2024 around 7 am in the east of the country where several criminals were at the gates of Natiaboini under large trees. At the right moment, the pilots send a powerful missile that will burn them in their bushes. Survivors try to extricate t hemselves from the flames but collapse further on all fours. The continuation of the observations allows the intelligence to realize that it is a broad base. An operation was immediately mounted and a commando from the Pô national commando training center, already operating in the area, was airlifted to the base. As soon as the boys set foot on the ground, they engage in merciless combat with the assassins and make short work of them. Then the commando combs the entire area, recovers the weapons that can still be used and destroys everything else that cannot be taken away. Finally, the patriots set fire to the base before being exfiltrated safely. Source: Burkina Information Agency

The NGO Help Burkina has offered a building and medical-technical equipment to the Gourcy health district. The official donation ceremony, chaired by the Minister of Health and Public Hygiene Robert Jean Claude Kargougou, took place this Friday, March 15, 2024 at the Gourcy urban dispensary. In October 2020, a fire ravaged the building housing the Expanded Vaccination Program (EPI), plunging the Gourcy health district into disarray, regarding the management of vaccines and certain types of medical consumables. Today, this disaster is a distant memory thanks to the NGO Help Burkina which built and equipped for the benefit of the district a brand new building whose official handover took place this Friday March 15, 2024 under the presidency of the Minister of health and public hygiene Robert Jean Claude Kargougou, assisted on the occasion by the Governor of the Northern Region Issouf Ouédraogo and administrative, customary and religious authorities of the province of Zondoma. In his speech, Minister Kargougo u thanked the donors for their gesture of capital importance for improving the health of the population while inviting the beneficiaries to make good use of the goods acquired. Costing 13,976,875 CFA francs, the building consists of a vaccine room, a consumables room, two offices and a toilet block. It is equipped with two large capacity medical refrigerators costing 4,226,268 CFA francs. Added to all this is a large batch of consumables and medical-technical equipment. By receiving this donation, the Doctor, District Head (MCD) of Gourcy Constantin Bationo showed his gratitude to the NGO Help which has just 'removed a big thorn in his side'. For him, all this equipment will facilitate the management of consumables and vaccines, anything which will make it possible to respond effectively to the needs of the population in terms of health care. For the representative of Help, Julien N. Ouédraogo, this action is part of the implementation of the project "Soonrè (the dawn of a new life)" whose general objective is to "Contribute to the 'improving livelihoods and strengthening resilience to the crisis of internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees and host populations in the North-Central and North regions'. Lasting 5 years, the project is being implemented with funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). On the sidelines of the inauguration of this jewel, the Minister of Health also presided over the delivery of a medical ambulance to the Gourcy health district and the official launch of the national vaccination campaign against measles and rubella. Source: Burkina Information Agency