Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso – From December 27 to 29, 2023, the Ministry of Defense and Veterans Affairs, along with the residents of the Nagrin district in Ouagadougou, engaged in sports and board games. This interaction, reported by the Agence d’Information du Burkina (AIB), was aimed at fostering good cohesion between the military and the local community.
According to Burkina Information Agency, The event featured various competitions, including fitness walking, board games, a football match, and women’s cycling. Clarisse Bilgo emerged as the winner of the women’s cycling race, receiving a bicycle valued at 40,000 FCFA and a Faso Dan Fani farcloth. The General Directorate of Studies and Sectoral Statistics (DGESS) of the army claimed victory in the sports walking event, winning 15,000 FCFA.
Other competitions included pétanque, where the ‘Hamidou Guigma’ doublet won 10,000 FCFA, and checkers, with Patrice Ilboudo claiming victory and an 8,000 FCFA prize. In scrabble, Aboubacar Sérémé defeated Gildas Somé, earning 10,000 FCFA, while Seydou Traoré triumphed in card games, also winning 10,000 FCFA. Issa Dakyo clinched the lido game, receiving a similar cash prize.
A friendly football match between the Nagrin district team and the FDS concluded with the victory of the local team, who won two footballs.
The Minister of Defense and Veterans Affairs, Brigadier General Kassoum Coulibaly, along with several army members and the Nagrin community, attended these activities. The Minister emphasized the importance of such events in fostering a sense of community and open communication between the military and local residents. He highlighted the opportunity for mutual understanding and support, encouraging direct communication over social media.
The leader of Nagrin expressed satisfaction with these interactions, noting a newfound ease and diminished fear in engaging with the military. These events were seen as a significant step in building trust and understanding between the FDS and the local population.