🇧🇫Burkina FasoWest Africa
CITADEL hosts third AI Summer School in Ouagadougou with 30 participants
via Lefaso.net4 min read
The Center of Interdisciplinary Excellence in Artificial Intelligence for Development CITADEL launched its third AI Summer School in Ouagadougou on June 22, 2026. For one week, 30 students and doctoral candidates will receive training in AI fundamentals before participating in a hackathon to solve local challenges. The initiative aims to equip Burkina Faso and Africa with the skills to participate in the digital revolution. Professor Antoine Béré, President of Joseph Ki-Zerbo University, presided over the opening ceremony, emphasizing that Africa must not be marginalized in AI development, as it is a powerful engine for economic and social transformation in sectors like health, agriculture, and education. He highlighted the importance of developing local solutions adapted to African realities. Rodrigue Kafando, a researcher at the Virtual University of Burkina Faso and CITADEL, stated that the center, established through a project won by Burkina Faso, focuses on training local talent to address continental challenges. The program includes theoretical training in data processing, textual data analysis, machine learning, deep learning, and AI model design, followed by a two-day hackathon. Participants, including medical doctor Ariel Shadrac Ouédraogo, come from diverse backgrounds, reflecting AI's transversal nature. The theme for this year is "Artificial Intelligence, innovation and digital sovereignty in Africa." CITADEL has already trained about a hundred AI engineers, contr
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Must ReadForeign ministers of the Confederation of Sahel States AES met in Bamako on June 20, 2026, to reaffirm their commitment to strengthening joint diplomatic action among the three member states. The meeting, presided over by Burkina Faso's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Karamoko Jean Marie Traoré, included Mali's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdoulaye Diop, and Niger's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bakary Yaou Sangaré. Discussions focused on progress in diplomacy and defining new directions to enhance the Confederation's international presence and influence. The ministers adopted measures to consolidate diplomatic coordination, agreeing to reinforce consultation mechanisms to present common positions on regional and international issues. They also validated actions to diversify and deepen AES's international partnerships. The foreign ministers praised the dialogue framework within the Confederation for harmonizing positions on common interests and encouraged diplomatic and consular missions of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to strengthen on-the-ground coordination. They continued discussions on establishing a confederal diplomatic map, instructing senior officials to continue technical work. Preparations for the 81st ordinary session of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2026 in New York were also addressed, with ministers agreeing to maintain close synergy to defend common interests. They highlighted the ratification and entry into force of several confederal legal in
President Ibrahim Traoré of Burkina Faso met with Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, Governor of the Central Bank of West African States BCEAO, on Monday, June 22, 2026. The meeting focused on the economic, monetary, and financial situation of the Union, highlighting Burkina Faso's economic achievements. Governor Brou noted encouraging economic dynamics in the sub-region, with positive macroeconomic indicators including economic growth, inflation control, and external stability. He specifically commended the resilience and performance of the Burkinabe economy, especially given regional and international challenges. Discussions also covered BCEAO's presence and investments in Burkina Faso, including the progress of various projects and infrastructure, and future development prospects.
Scanning Systems, a subsidiary of Tassec Investment Holdings Company, is in advanced negotiations with the Commission of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa CEMAC to design, finance, and build four new juxtaposed border control posts PCJ in Central Africa. This initiative is inspired by the operational and commercial success of Scanning Systems' model, particularly the PCJs in Cinkansé Burkina Faso – Togo and Laléraba Burkina Faso – Côte d’Ivoire, which have become regional benchmarks for trade facilitation. On June 18, 2026, a high-level delegation from the CEMAC Commission, accompanied by representatives from UEMOA, visited the Laléraba PCJ. This multimodal platform, covering 15 hectares, can process over 800 vehicles daily using advanced equipment such as weighbridges, gauge detectors, latest-generation X-ray scanners for containers and luggage, and a centralized IT system for operations management. In approximately two months of activity, the Laléraba PCJ handled about 25,000 freight vehicles and over 19,300 passenger vehicles with 65,288 passengers. Ngabo Seli Mbogo, the CEMAC Commissioner for the Common Market, stated that the visit aimed to confirm the quality and expertise of Scanning Systems as a pioneer in PCJ management, addressing the need to facilitate the free movement of people and goods within the community by reducing border crossing times and inconveniences. Jonas Gbian, UEMOA Commissioner for Community Planning and Transport, praised Scann