Mouhoun: The Minister of Humanitarian Action and National Solidarity, Passowend© P©lagie Kabor©, led a full-scale simulation exercise of the National Multi-Risk Plan for Preparedness and Response to Disasters and Humanitarian Crises in D©dougou. This significant event was held on Thursday, June 19, 2025, and was attended by key officials including the Minister of State, Minister in charge of Territorial Administration, Emile Zerbo, and regional governors.
According to Burkina Information Agency, this exercise succeeded an initial tabletop simulation conducted on June 18, 2025, aimed at testing management mechanisms, procedures, and coordination of disaster and humanitarian crisis responses. The simulation was particularly focused on scenarios involving mass population displacement, reflecting the integration of new risks related to insecurity, population displacement, and climatic hazards into the National Multi-Risk Contingency Plan, reviewed in 2024.
Minister Kabor© emphasized the exercise as a vital opportunity to test and improve the capabilities of national and local actors in delivering quick and coordinated responses to real-life emergencies. The exercise saw the participation of all members of CONASUR and its branches, including CORESUR, COPROSUR, and CODESUR, alongside technical and humanitarian partners.
The minister expressed her appreciation for the HYDROMET Project, whose support was crucial in organizing the exercise and enhancing capacity building in early warning services and climate information. The exercise successfully tested inter-institutional coordination, alert mechanisms, and rapid intervention capacities, highlighting strengths such as community solidarity and logistical fluidity.
However, areas for improvement were identified, such as the need for immediate availability of human and material resources, continuous staff training, and mastery of roles in rotation contexts. Minister Kabor© stressed that these lessons would be used to refine strategies and improve crisis response effectiveness.
Soumala Zorome, Permanent Secretary of the National Council for Emergency Relief and Rehabilitation (SP/CONASUR), highlighted the importance of the exercise in testing crisis response mechanisms. He acknowledged the mobilization of CONSUR stakeholders at sectoral and decentralized levels during the tabletop simulation and real-field exercise, which was enhanced by real weather conditions.
The presence of regional governors underscored the initiative's significance for the future of crisis management in Burkina Faso.