LÉO — In a significant step to combat violent extremism, the Saadon association, in partnership with the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), launched the second phase of its program aimed at empowering women, known as “women preventing violent extremism (WPVE),” on Tuesday, February 13, 2024, in Léo, the capital of Sissili province in the Central-West region of Burkina Faso.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the country representative of USIP, the event was marked by the presence of key figures including the representative of the high commissioner, the secretary general of the province of Sissili, Baowindsida Bingo, and Moussa Ouédraogo, the second vice-president of the special delegation of the commune of Léo. The ceremony also saw participation from customary and traditional authorities, along with representatives from various civil society organizations.
The WPVE program is designed to enhance women’s leadership and strategic influence in policy formulation and actions aimed at preventing violent extremism within their communities. Nama highlighted the program’s implementation across the Sahel and the Horn of Africa, with the Saadon association driving its execution in Burkina Faso. The initiative has fostered the emergence of women leaders in Léo, known as “Amazons of Peace.”
Nama extended her gratitude towards the Sissili province’s local authorities for their unwavering support since the inception of the program’s pilot phase. She also acknowledged the Saadon association for its dynamic role and commended all stakeholders for their dedication to achieving the program’s goals.
The Secretary General of Sissili province, Baowindsida Bingo, expressed his appreciation for the efforts that facilitated the progress of the program’s first phase. He lauded the US Institute of Peace and the Saadon association for their contributions towards enhancing the capacity of women leaders in preventing radicalization and violent extremism in Sissili.
Bingo emphasized the program’s significant impact on showcasing the leadership of Sissili’s valiant women and the Amazons of Peace, whose influence has now extended across the region. He assured that the second phase would focus on consolidating the program’s achievements and strengthening the role of Amazon women and the youth network in combating radicalization and violent extremism in Burkina Faso.
With hopes for Sissili to serve as an inspiring model for other localities, Bingo called for the successful implementation of the program’s second phase, which includes a two-day training course for the peace amazons and youth of Sissili under the theme “Leadership in the Service of Peace.”
BOBO-DIOULASSO — The Ministry of Transport, Urban Mobility and Road Safety initiated a significant mobility and urban development project for secondary cities in Burkina Faso on Saturday, February 17, 2024. The project, with a budget exceeding 124 billion CFA francs, is set to transform the urban landscape of Bobo-Dioulasso, Ouahigouya, and Kaya.
According to Burkina Information Agency, this initiative is primarily funded by a loan from the World Bank, covering 95% of the total cost, while the remaining 5% is financed by the Burkinabè State. The project aims to enhance urban mobility, access to basic services, and economic opportunities, alongside fortifying institutional capacities for urban management in the targeted cities.
Representing the Prime Minister, Minister of State, Minister of Communication, Culture, Arts, and Tourism, Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo highlighted the project’s objectives during the launch event. These include establishing a regulatory framework for public transport providers and constructing 90 kilometers of rainwater drainage channels across the three cities.
“The economic evaluation of this project specifies that approximately 819,000 direct beneficiaries, representing 52% of the total population of the three cities, including 200,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs), will have access to improved basic services. Additionally, 300,000 people will benefit from enhanced access to economic opportunities,” stated the Minister of State.
Expressing gratitude towards the World Bank for its backing, he emphasized the government’s focus on this pivotal project, which is poised to ameliorate the living standards of the populace. Minister of Transport, Urban Mobility and Road Safety, Roland Somda, remarked on the critical importance of urban mobility, especially in reducing road accidents among IDPs in urban areas. The project aligns with the national development policy (PND) and its action plan for stabilization and development (PASD), aiming for comprehensive improvement in urban mobility.
Roland Somda called upon all stakeholders to contribute their utmost to realize the project’s goals for the welfare of the communities. Spanning five years (2024-2028), the project will allocate nearly 51 billion CFA francs to Bobo-Dioulasso, around 30 billion to Ouahigouya, and close to 29 billion to Kaya.
Franz Drees-Gross, the regional director of infrastructure for the World Bank in West and Central Africa, outlined the project’s broad impact across several sectors, including transport, infrastructure, environment, and education. Key activities encompass the professionalization and modernization of urban transport in Bobo-Dioulasso, the development of safe, resilient, green, and inclusive urban infrastructure, and the construction, rehabilitation, and maintenance of rainwater infrastructure. The project will also focus on building and equipping classrooms with solar panels and supporting women’s groups and socio-professional associations.
Drees-Gross added, “The project will support government priorities on improving IDPs’ access to services and opportunities, in part, by assisting local authorities in managing the influx of displaced people.”