OUAGADOUGOU — Burkina Faso’s Minister of the Civil Service, Labor, and Social Protection, Bassolma Bazié, stated on Monday that the country will make decisions regarding the ratification of international conventions based on the sovereign will of its people, highlighting a move towards greater national sovereignty.

According to Burkina Information Agency, speaking at the 112th session of the International Labor Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, Burkina Faso has shifted its approach to international engagements. He emphasized that the ratification of conventions, their implementation, and the nation’s participation in international organizations will now strictly align with the sovereign decisions of the Burkinabè people, and not be influenced by external pressures. Since joining the International Labor Organization (ILO) on November 21, 1960, Burkina Faso has ratified 44 conventions, guided by values of solidarity, social justice, and peace.

Bazié also issued a call to the ILO to adhere to its foundational values to ensure its relevance and survival as a specialized agency of the United Nations. He underscored the importance of dignity, integrity, and honor in the ILO’s operations.

Furthermore, he outlined Burkina Faso’s priority social contract as expressed in the Action Plan for Stabilization and Development, which focuses on securing the national territory, addressing humanitarian crises, promoting good governance and anti-corruption efforts, and enhancing democratic culture through political, administrative, and institutional reforms. These reforms aim to reinforce the rule of law, national reconciliation, social cohesion, and the organization of free, transparent, and inclusive elections.