Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso — Issa Soma, former director of the Burkina Information Agency (AIB), expressed concern over the current state of the agency and called for significant enhancement to make it a leading press agency in the sub-region. During an interview with AIB, Soma reflected on the agency’s challenges and its inability to achieve its full potential since its inception in 1964.

According to Burkina Information Agency, who led the AIB for a decade, the agency has not yet realized its intended operational model of financial and administrative independence, a goal set when it was established by law on May 27, 1964. He criticized past management for not fully understanding the function and strategic importance of a national press agency. On the occasion of the AIB’s 60th anniversary, which was marked with minimal fanfare due to the current security and humanitarian challenges, Soma shared his aspirations for the agency’s future.

Soma emphasized the importance of recognizing the AIB as a crucial instrument of national sovereignty that should be adequately supported by the government to meet its responsibilities and excel among its peers in the sub-region. He hoped that the new authorities would understand the vital role of the information agency and provide the necessary resources to elevate its status and performance.