OUAGADOUGOU — Jean Philipe Toougouma, former director of the Agence d’Information du Burkina (AIB), highlighted the significant untapped potential of the agency during its 60th-anniversary celebration.

According to Burkina Information Agency, who led the AIB from December 2008 to December 2009, the agency has barely begun to exploit its capabilities in terms of information dissemination across the country.

During his speech, Toougouma emphasized the anniversary as an opportunity to reflect on past achievements and to project future advancements in communication strategies. He noted that despite the extensive reach of the AIB, with correspondents across all 13 regions of Burkina Faso and its 45 provinces, there remains a vast scope for expansion, especially into border areas to enhance the agency’s operational field in the current security context.

Toougouma also pointed out the AIB’s critical role in covering the ongoing security crisis, positioning the agency as a key relay of information from the front lines. He advocated for the AIB to broaden its focus beyond security and military issues to include more coverage of development topics. Furthermore, he urged the agency to evaluate how its reports are utilized by other media outlets and to engage more actively with institutions like the Higher Council of Communication to bolster freelance correspondents and improve their working conditions.

“Catch the ball at the right time and give a broader perspective to the AIB,” Toougouma expressed his hopes for the future of the agency.