• Out of 12 programmed by the PUS-BF
• Lack of funding and insecurity in advanced regions
• More than 45 billion FCFA in the care of IDPs
A the date of December 31, 2022, what were the achievements obtained in terms of security by the Emergency Program for the Sahel in Burkina Faso (PUS-BF), in its intervention regions of the Sahel, North, Center-North, Center-East, East and Boucle du Mouhoun? The answer to this question is contained in the 2022 activity report of the PUS-BF, made public in June 2023. The document reveals that out of 12 activities programmed, in 2022, to strengthen public security and defense, 7 activities were canceled. The reasons given are, firstly, the lack of money, and secondly, insecurity in these regions.
“It should be noted that out of 12 scheduled activities, 7 were canceled due to lack of funding,” underlines the report. Despite these two reasons, the PUS enabled the strengthening of the capacities of the Defense and Security Forces (FDS) and the completion of constructions. At the Gendarmerie level, we note the ongoing work of the Road Prevention Brigade (BPR) of Dori, with an execution rate of 52%, of the Sebba company for an execution rate of 90%. 3 equipment acquisition activities were also initiated, with an execution rate of 40%. Furthermore, to increase the workforce, 1,250 gendarmerie non-commissioned officer students were recruited for the year 2022.
What about the National Police?
Activities planned in the PUS intervention zone could not be carried out by the National Police. These activities concerned the construction of buildings and the acquisition of operational equipment. Security reasons or lack of funding are noted. Thus, some of these constructions were relocated or canceled. This is the case, in particular, of the construction of the building of the Republican Security Company (CRS) of Solenzo, which was relocated to Boromo and of the construction of the buildings of the district police stations (CPD) of Barani, Di, Kassoum and Kiembara which were canceled. Regarding the increase in personnel, the National Police has recruited 750 police non-commissioned officers.
Massive recruitment in the army
Capacity building also involved the massive recruitment of personnel, with a view to expanding the strength of the National Armed Forces. To this end, the Ministry of Defense and Veterans Affairs launched, in October and November 2022, the recruitment of 3,000 and 1,400 military personnel, respectively for the benefit of the National Armed Forces and the National Gendarmerie. In the reconquest of the national territory, the transitional government called on more than 90,000 volunteers to defend the homeland (VDP). The PUS played its part in improving their living conditions on the ground.
Humanitarian: 93.69% rate carried out
It is a truism to say that the insecurity that Burkina Faso has been experiencing since 2015 has created an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. It appears from the report that the government, with the support of technical and financial partners, has provided relief to populations facing insecurity. This is how out of 8 planned activities, 7 activities were carried out in 2022, by the ministry in charge of humanitarian action, and one is currently being carried out, i.e. a physical execution rate of 93.69%. The report mentions that as of December 31, 2022, the Sahel and Center-North regions host the largest number of IDPs, with 25.7% and 25.1% of the total IDPs respectively. These 2 regions total 984,087 of the country’s IDPs out of 1,882,391. The Cascades and Center-Sud regions are the regions which receive fewer IDPs, with percentages of 1.1 and 0.5.
More than 14 billion FCFA in monetary transfers
In the area of caring for internally displaced persons (IDPs) and host populations, the following actions were carried out: registration of IDPs in 12 regions of the country; monetary transfers amounting to 14,179,007,500 FCFA for the benefit of 89,661 people from poor and vulnerable households and IDPs in the Centre-North, Boucle du Mouhoun, North and Sahel regions. Added to this is the financing of social and humanitarian emergencies for the benefit of victims of attacks in the amount of 992,760,977 FCFA, food assistance to 1,530,625 vulnerable people, victims of disasters and humanitarian crises. in the amount of 29,691,373,288 FCFA and the provision of 100 women with production, processing and conservation technologies according to their areas of activity. The cost of carrying out these activities amounts to 45,435,141,765 FCFA.
Ambéternifa Crépin SOMDA
Boxed
191 planned activities, out of 542, executed in 2022
191 planned activities, in 2022, out of 542 within the framework of the PUS-BF, have been executed and 315 in progress, i.e. a rate of 35.23% completed and 58.12% in progress. According to the report, 2022 was marked by a difficult security and humanitarian situation but also by institutional instability. Added to this is the isolation of certain localities due to the destruction of road infrastructure and attacks on convoys supplying various localities with food and other basic necessities. This situation negatively impacted the implementation of the PUS-BF in 2022. As a reminder, the PUS was created in 2017, to improve security conditions and reduce the vulnerability of the population. It is in its second phase (2022-2024).o
