BOROMO — Leaders of provincial youth councils across Burkina Faso convened in Boromo on Saturday, advocating for significant reforms within the National Youth Council (CNJ), including the renewal of its expired leadership structures.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the spokesperson for the provincial council presidents and the President of CPJ Balé, the gathering addressed multiple grievances with the CNJ, including unacknowledged recommendations from a previous meeting in Ziniaré in December 2023, inadequate communication, and lack of support for provincial activities. The leaders expressed a strong desire for updates on the renewal process for the national council’s leadership, whose terms had expired over a year ago.
Discussions at the meeting also touched upon broader issues affecting youth involvement in national development, such as their role in national security efforts and community development initiatives. Delegates emphasized the importance of youth councils in fostering civic engagement and supporting local governance and security forces.
The conference concluded with private discussions involving Moumouni Dialla, the president of the National Youth Council, and Issa Gnanou, president of the Mouhoun regional youth council, though these talks reportedly did not indicate an imminent commitment to restructure the CNJ leadership.
The event not only highlighted the challenges facing youth leadership structures in Burkina Faso but also served as a platform for networking and sharing best practices among the provincial leaders. The meeting ended with a call from the province’s secretary general, Asseta Kouanda, for the youth to exhibit patriotism, commitment, and integrity in contributing to the development of their localities.