馃嚙馃嚝Burkina FasoWest Africa
Burkina Faso improves performance in protecting public health against tobacco industry interference
via Lefaso.net9 min read
The Africa Against Tobacco association ACONTA launched its 2025 report on the tobacco industry interference index in Burkina Faso on Friday, April 24, 2026. This report, a key tool for analyzing and monitoring interactions between the tobacco industry and public authorities, highlights influence strategies used by the industry that often undermine public health. Burkina Faso achieved an honorable ranking in this edition, placing 8th globally out of 100 evaluated countries and 3rd in Africa out of 20. This is an improvement from its 2023 ranking of 11th globally and 4th in Africa, demonstrating the authorities' commitment to protecting public health and preventing tobacco industry interference in anti-tobacco policies, according to Adama Zango, ACONTA coordinator. The report's questionnaire, comprising 20 questions across seven categories, assesses how governments respond to tobacco industry tactics, guided by Article 5.3 of the World Health Organization WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control FCTC. These indicators include industry participation in policy-making, corporate social responsibility initiatives, benefits granted to the industry, unnecessary interactions, transparency in relations, conflicts of interest, and preventive measures taken by governments. ACONTA recommends adopting a revised anti-tobacco bill in line with the FCTC, which addresses new and emerging products, and adopting a draft decree to prevent tobacco industry interference in public health policies
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Ouagadougou will host the 8th Congress of the West African Physics Society from July 29 to August 1, where participants will discuss advancements in physics research. The congress will feature scientific presentations, panels, roundtables, and exhibitions focusing on physics applications in energy, agriculture, water, health, industry, artificial intelligence, and innovative technologies. Organizers aim to highlight physics' contribution to solving socio-economic challenges in African countries, viewing it as crucial for strengthening the continent's scientific and technological sovereignty. Professor Billa G茅rard Segda, president of the organizing committee, emphasized the congress's focus on development and the need to connect scientific research with societal concerns. He stated that physics should not be confined to laboratories but should address practical problems such as accessible energy, productive and sustainable agriculture, product conservation and transformation, industrialization, healthcare, and digital transformation, while also creating opportunities for youth. The congress theme is "Supporting access to energy, sustainable agriculture, and food security through applied physics." Professor Segda stressed that energy is vital for sustainable industrialization and transforming agricultural products, while addressing agricultural challenges like increased production, better water management, reduced post-harvest losses, improved conservation, and local processin
Must ReadThe Minister of Economy and Finance has issued a warning regarding financial scams and has put promoters on notice. This announcement was published on Thursday, July 23, 2026, at 2:49 PM. The article does not provide further details on the nature of the scams or the specific actions taken against the promoters.
The Central Bank of West African States BCEAO concluded a two-day seminar for economic journalists from the West African Monetary Union UMOA in Dakar on August 21, 2026. The seminar focused on major economic, monetary, and financial issues within the community, with the BCEAO reaffirming its commitment to strengthening ties with media professionals to foster a better understanding of policies and reforms. Habib Thiam, Secretary General of the BCEAO, praised the participation and relevance of discussions, noting the seminar deepened understanding of the BCEAO's missions, instruments, and strategic priorities amid a changing global economic landscape. Topics included monetary policy, financial stability, economic financing, financial inclusion, digital financial services, and payment system changes. Thiam emphasized the media's crucial role in providing reliable, rigorous, and contextualized information, making complex economic issues accessible to the public and preventing misinformation. Dominique Mabika, a journalist from Financial Afrik in Senegal, thanked the BCEAO for the initiative, highlighting how it enhanced journalists' knowledge of technical subjects and allowed direct engagement with policymakers. She stressed the responsibility of participants to act as relays for citizens, explaining mechanisms like the PI-SPI platform and BCEAO actions. The BCEAO aims for this seminar to be the start of a more regular dialogue with economic journalists, recognizing the increasin