OUAGADOUGOU – Burkinabè media outlets on Wednesday have been actively covering a range of significant developments including the initiation of a mining residue processing plant in Kossodo, the visit of Malian parliamentarians for a work and friendship session, and the performance of the national football team in the CAN 2023 in Ivory Coast.
According to Burkina Information Agency, a leading private daily in Burkina Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traoré officially inaugurated the mining residue processing plant, named Golden Hand SA, in the Kossodo area of Ouagadougou on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. This event marks a significant step in the country’s mining sector, coming just two months after the foundation stone was laid for the national gold refinery in the Ouaga 2000 area. Captain Traoré emphasized the importance of this development, inviting neighboring countries to process their mining residues in Burkina Faso. The state daily Sidwaya highlighted that with the commencement of Golden Hand SA’s operations, mining residues will no longer be exported for processing, signaling a boost in local industry capabilities.
In terms of bilateral relations, Sidwaya also reported on the visit of a delegation from the National Transition Council of Mali, which has been in Burkina Faso since Monday, January 22, 2022. The delegation, led by the 5th vice-president of the Malian parliament, Rakytalla Diarra, met with Dr. Ousmane Bougouma, president of the Transitional Legislative Assembly (ALT), in Ouagadougou on Tuesday. L’Observateur Paalga noted that the Malian deputies will spend seven days in Burkina Faso, discussing various cooperation areas such as security, sovereignty, common challenges, and regional development.
Additionally, Le Pays, a private newspaper, announced the inauguration of the Republic of Nicaragua’s embassy in Burkina Faso, signaling an expansion of diplomatic relations.
On another front, Le Pays reported on a meeting held on Tuesday, January 24, 2023, in Ouagadougou between regional governors and the Minister in charge of Territorial Administration, Emile Zerbo. This meeting, focused on assessing the prevailing security situation, also saw discussions urging the heads of non-resident administrative districts to return to their localities. L’Express du Faso, published in Bobo-Dioulasso, indicated ongoing efforts to address security challenges within the country.
In the sports arena, the Burkinabè press extensively covered the performance of the national football team, the Stallions of Burkina Faso, in the CAN 2023. L’Observateur Paalga reported that the Stallions were defeated by Angola’s Palancas in the last match of the round of 16, losing the lead in group D. Le Pays highlighted the noise caused by the Stallions’ defeat against Equatorial Guinea. Despite the setback, Sidwaya affirmed that the Stallions have qualified for the round of 16, maintaining their position in the tournament.