Day: March 19, 2024

The Sahel regional dialogue framework (CRD) held a working session on Tuesday March 12, 2024 in Dori with the aim of examining and validating the draft regional annual performance report 2023 and review the 2024 regional action plan for stabilization and development (PASD) of the Sahel region. According to the regional director of economy and planning of the Sahel, Harouna Kaboré, during the year 2023, the Sahel region implemented its PASD through its contribution to the fight against terrorism and the restoration of territorial integrity, the response to the humanitarian crisis, the rebuilding of the State, the improvement of governance, national reconciliation and social cohesion. Listening to Mr. Kaboré, out of 544 activities scheduled for 2023, a total of 260 activities were carried out, i.e. a rate of 47.79%. And Mr. Kaboré added that for this, the sum of 13,066,024,311 FCFA was mobilized, out of a forecast of 24,030,444,310 FCFA, a mobilization rate of 54.37%. This sum was mobilized by the Burkinabè S tate (35%), local authorities (55%) and technical and financial partners (10%). In terms of prospects, according to the Sahel DREP, over the period 2024-2026, stakeholders have scheduled several activities within the framework of the implementation of the Action Plan for the stabilization and development of the Sahel region. These three-year activities will require the mobilization of approximately 11 billion FCFA for 2024; 5 billion for the year 2025 and 3 billion for the year 2026. And Mr. DREP concludes that the region is certainly faced with the still difficult security situation and the suspension of road traffic on the Kaya-Dori axis which negatively impacts the implementation of activities on the ground, but the note of The hope is that there are at least 30,000 IDPs who have returned home in 2023. The governor of the Sahel region, Lieutenant-Colonel Rodolphe Sorgho, thanked the actors who contributed to achieving this performance and urged them to redouble their efforts in order to create the condi tions for harmonious development for the benefit communities in the region. Source: Burkina Information Agency

Bizerte: Port traffic in the Bizerte movable bridge will reopen on Tuesday evening, said regional director of public works in Bizerte, Om Ezzine Tamni. The decision was taken after studying the preliminary report assessing the consequences of last March 4 collision between the Italian freighter Ekmen Sky and the Bizerte movable bridge. Tamni told TAP news agency the first lifting of the movable bridge was scheduled for Tuesday evening at 23:00 to allow ships to enter and leave the commercial port of Bizerte-Menzel Bourguiba. "The vessel involved in the collision is currently subject to precautionary seizure, subject to payment of a provisional amount estimated at 3 million dinars, pending an exact assessment of the material damage caused to the deck," the same source added. At its emergency meeting on March 4, the Regional Committee for the Organisation of Rescue Operations authorised the appointment of a consultancy firm to assess the damage caused to the movable bridge, to maintain the previous traffic plan and to suspend the use of quay 1 of the commercial port of Bizerte. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

The President of the National Council for the Protection of the Fatherland (CNSP), Head of State, Brigadier General Abdrouhamane Tiani sent, in a message this Monday, March 18, 2024, his warm and warm congratulations to the President of the Russian Federation, Mr. Vladimir Putin on his re-election as head of the federation. ''Your brilliant re-election at the head of the Russian Federation following the consultations held from March 15 to 17, 2024, gives me the pleasant pleasure of addressing Your Excellency, on behalf of the National Council for the Protection of Homeland (CNSP), of the Government, of the Nigerien People and on my behalf, my warm and hearty congratulations as well as my wishes for success in the accomplishment of your lofty and exalting mission'' writes the Nigerien Head of State. The great Russian people, continues the president of the CNSP, 'by renewing their confidence in you through this resounding victory, have once again proven their adherence to your governance program as well as to your legitimate ambition to continue to advance the Federation of Russia in all economic and political fields, and ensure it a most honorable rank in the concert of nations'. 'Niger, which is waging a historic struggle for the reconquest of its sovereignty and its development, knows how to count on your personal commitment and cooperation with the Russian Federation to succeed in its patriotic fight,' concludes the Nigerien Head of State who made a point of ensuring his ''personal availability as well as that of the Government of Niger to work, in concert with Your Excellency and the Government of the Russian Federation, with a view to strengthening the already excellent relations between our two countries''. Source: Burkina Information Agency

The United States is preparing plans to be ready for a possible evacuation of American troops from Niger as well as for the extension of their retention. This was stated by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States, Charles Brown. He recalled that the Nigerien authorities had announced at the end of last week the termination of the agreement on the presence of American forces in Niger. 'We are always making plans to be ready for any extraordinary circumstances. We will continue to do this regardless of whether our forces remain or whether we leave,' Charles Brown told a news conference at the Ramstein military base in Germany following another meeting of the coordination group. on arms deliveries to Ukraine. Charles Brown also acknowledged that recent Niger policy had negatively affected U.S. military efforts in Africa. 'The events of July [last year in Niger] and those that followed them have had repercussions on our ability to continue our efforts in the fight against terrorism,' he s aid. According to him, Washington continues to study other countries in West Africa in order to carry out military cooperation with them similar to that which existed with Niger. The authorities of Niger announced on March 16 that they were breaking the military agreement signed with Washington. This decision was taken following the visit of American officials to Niger last week. In the north of the country there is an American base with drones. At the end of 2023, 1,100 American soldiers were deployed there. Source: Burkina Information Agency

Ouagadougou: The Malian President, Colonel Assimi Goïta, on Monday wished every success to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin who has just been re-elected. 'I extend my warm congratulations to President Putin for the renewed confidence of his People and wish him every success in the fulfillment of his high duties. In his capacity as a strategic and sincere partner of Mali, I renew all our friendship for him,' wrote Assimi Goïta on X. Russian President Vladimir Putin was re-elected by almost 90% of the votes cast. Source: Burkina Information Agency

Ouagadougou: The Malian President, Colonel Assimi Goïta, on Monday wished every success to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin who has just been re-elected. 'I extend my warm congratulations to President Putin for the renewed confidence of his People and wish him every success in the fulfillment of his high duties. In his capacity as a strategic and sincere partner of Mali, I renew all our friendship for him,' wrote Assimi Goïta on X. Russian President Vladimir Putin was re-elected by almost 90% of the votes cast. Source: Burkina Information Agency

Ouagadougou: The ministry in charge of water and forests wants to create 10 new combat units in 2024, thus bringing their number to 13 cantonments, with a view to ensuring the coverage of the territory in view of the results achieved by the detachments of elements of the Forest Water Corps positioned in strategic locations to protect forests, infrastructure and contribute to the reconquest of the territory, indicates the communication services of the said ministry. 'In view of the tangible results on the ground and to strengthen the participation of the water and forest body in the work of reconquering the territory, the Ministry of the Environment, Water and Sanitation through the General Directorate of waters and forests intends to scale up with the creation of 10 new cantonments in the territory,' announced the chief of staff of the minister of the said ministry, Ousmane Bawar. A monitoring and supervision team from the ministry in charge of the environment went to galvanize and absorb the realities with in the detachments of elements of the water and forest body positioned in strategic locations to protect forests, infrastructure and contribute to the reconquest of the territory. Three operational water and forest cantonments in the theater of operations received a visit from the ministerial delegation. The cantonments are detachments of elements of the body of waters and seasoned forests, positioned in strategic places to protect the forests, the infrastructures and contribute to the reconquest of the territory. The three cantonments supported by the Volunteers for the Defense of the Fatherland (VDP) have had successes on the ground. The results of their actions are clearly visible on the ground during this visit. They dominated and controlled certain forest reserves which until a certain period were inaccessible. They indeed contributed to cleaning up the interior of these forest reserves by flushing out and arresting armed individuals, dislodging illegal gold mining sites and seizing equipment, spec ifies the source. The ministry in charge of the environment is counting on the 2024 vintage of the national school of water and forests, with 2,000 fighters, to largely supply the ten new cantonments. Source: Burkina Information Agency