AES accelerates establishment of its unified force to combat terrorism
via Lefaso.net4 min read
On April 17, 2026, the General Staff of the Armies hosted the first ordinary meeting of the Committee of Chiefs of Staff of the Confederation of Sahel States CCEMC in Ouagadougou, under Burkinabe presidency. This information was released on the Facebook page of the General Staff of the Armies of Burkina Faso. Chaired by Brigadier General Moussa Diallo, this strategic meeting is part of the effort to implement and strengthen the AES unified force. It follows preparatory work conducted since April 7 by military experts and integrated staff officers. Concrete decisions were adopted to build a common, sovereign defense tailored to security challenges.
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The UBA Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the United Bank for Africa UBA Group, has officially launched the first National Essay Competition NEC in Burkina Faso. The competition is open to students in Seconde, Première, and Terminale classes from both public and private institutions, aiming to foster academic excellence, critical thinking, and civic expression. Applications are open from April 17 to May 8, 2026. Participants are invited to write a maximum 750-word handwritten essay on the theme: "Burkinabe schools facing digital transformation: should the national education strategy be rethought?" To be eligible, students must be enrolled in a recognized institution in Burkina Faso and be 18 years old or younger by December 30, 2026. Submissions, scanned as a single PDF file, can be made online via the UBA Burkina Faso website or by email to necburkina@ubagroup.com, with "Dissertation NEC" as the subject. Email submissions must include the applicant's full name, class, school, locality, date of birth, and phone number. Only the first 1,000 compliant applications will be reviewed. The top three winners will receive monetary prizes: 1,000,000 FCFA for first place, 750,000 FCFA for second place, and 500,000 FCFA for third place. Additionally, the eight finalists will each receive a certificate and a motorcycle. The institution with the most participants will be awarded a set of books and financial support. The UBA Foundation, active in 20 African countries, focuses on educati
Burkina Faso held a national symposium on April 14, 2026, in Ouagadougou, focusing on the institutionalization of Corporate Social Responsibility CSR as a strategic lever for sustainable development. The event, placed under the patronage of Prime Minister S.E.M. Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo, was organized by the Centre for Economic and Social Policy Analysis CAPES, the General Confederation of Enterprises of Faso COGEF, and the CSR Forum. Over 500 participants from public administration, the private sector, academia, and technical and financial partners attended, discussing the theme "Institutionalization of Corporate Social Responsibility CSR in Burkina Faso: Issues, Challenges, and Perspectives." Émile Zerbo, Minister of Territorial Administration and Mobility, representing the head of government, officially opened the symposium. He highlighted the collective awareness surrounding CSR and reiterated Burkina Faso's commitment to regaining sovereignty through responsible industrialization. He emphasized that the government's vision of CSR extends beyond charitable actions, calling for a paradigm shift to make it a qualitative lever. Minister Zerbo defined a socially responsible company as one that prioritizes local content, invests in youth training and skills development, adopts environmentally friendly practices, and ensures dignified and safe working conditions. He stressed that a responsible company actively contributes to national sovereignty by strengthening economi
WASCAL has equipped the Zagtouli photovoltaic solar power plant in Burkina Faso with an L1 cleaning robot, developed by SolarCleano. This robot is designed for autonomous or semi-autonomous cleaning of solar panels, boasting a cleaning capacity of 2000 m² per hour, equivalent to over 4 MW per day. Its 2.45-meter rotating brushes and ability to operate in demanding environmental conditions effectively remove accumulated dust, thereby restoring and maintaining optimal energy production. The robot can operate with or without water, which is beneficial in arid regions with limited water resources, and has an 8-hour battery life. Wendpanga Roger Ouédraogo, director of transport and energy movements at SONABEL, noted that the robot is economical as it does not require energy to function, and its total cost is estimated at 50 million FCFA. Alidou Koutou, director general of energy, received the equipment, emphasizing that cleanliness is crucial for the profitability of solar power plants and that the robot will help optimize production by improving efficiency. He also urged responsible use of the equipment to ensure its durability. This donation is WASCAL's second to the Zagtouli plant, following a tractor with a cleaning system and surveillance cameras in 2025. It is part of the PV2H project, implemented by WASCAL, which aims to sustainably improve the performance of photovoltaic solar power plants in West Africa. Dr. Bruno Korgo, WASCAL's regional coordinator for renewable energie
Burkinabe company Dafra Cirque performed "Bus Stop," a piece on child protection during crises, at the 14th edition of the Market for African Arts and Spectacle of Abidjan MASA on Wednesday, April 15. The performance, featuring four acrobats, used physical narration to denounce violence against children in times of crisis, power dynamics between peoples, and the involvement of youth in conflicts. Acrobats Moustafa Konaté, who is also a choreographer for the company, expressed pleasure and honor in presenting the show at MASA. The performance, characterized by acrobatic feats, unstable balances, and human staircases, captivated the audience, including 11-year-old Yohann, who admired the impressive figures. Beyond the message of child protection, Dafra Cirque also aims to promote fraternity between the people of Côte d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso. Other artists, including Miss Tanya and Serge Aimé Coulibaly, are also representing Burkina Faso at the 14th MASA, which continues until April 18.