OUAGADOUGOU, BURKINA FASO — Hamidou Sangla successfully defended his doctoral thesis at Joseph Ki-Zerbo University last Thursday, analyzing the effectiveness of Burkina Faso’s public communication in response to terrorism from 2015 to 2022. The jury awarded his work a very honorable mention, recognizing its relevance and depth.

According to Burkina Information Agency, the thesis explores the communicative aspect of warfare, asserting that the fight against terrorism is not solely military. He expressed concern that, despite the ongoing security crisis initiated in the north of Mali, Burkina Faso has failed to implement a proactive public communication strategy aimed at educating citizens about the dangers of violent extremism and the importance of peace and security.

Dr. Sangla’s research indicated that from the first terrorist attacks in December 2015 until October 2022, the state’s approach to communication was predominantly reactive, which he believes has led to a significant erosion of trust between the government and the governed. This gap, he argues, has been detrimental, fueling misinformation and the rise of hate speech, thus exacerbating the nation’s security crisis.

He advocates for the development of a preventive communication strategy to effectively raise public awareness and combat violent extremism. The jury, consisting of prominent academics from both Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast, praised Dr. Sangla’s analysis and suggestions, emphasizing the timeliness and applicability of his findings to the current challenges faced by Burkina Faso.