Day: May 3, 2024

Tunis: A Civil Protection delegation is currently on a working visit to Algeria to take part in works of the Tunisian-Algerian Joint Technical Committee in the Civil Protection field, held from April 29-May 6.

The visit is also part of the follow-up to the implementation of the results of the Joint Bilateral Committee meeting held last January in Tabarka (Tunisia), spokesman for the National Office for Civil Protection (ONPC).

The Tunisian delegation is led by the Office’s Director General and comprises senior civil protection officials and committee members.

A working session was held between the two countries’ delegations, to discuss various actions and share skills and expertise in the civil protection field, he pointed out.

The working session, chaired by Algeria’s Minister of Interior, Local Authorities and National Planning, offered the opportunity to examine ways to scale up bilateral cooperation between the two corps, notably in the field of operational intervention, capacity synergy and expertise
sharing.

The meeting also provided an opportunity to outline the joint exercises to be conducted by the two countries’ special civil protection units in the wilaya of Bouira at the beginning of May.

These actions are part of joint commitment to develop cooperation in the civil protection field between Tunisia and Algeria in order to meet joint challenges, the same source underlined.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Tunis: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad Nabil Ammar will lead the Tunisian delegation to the 15th edition of the Islamic Summit of Heads of State and Governments of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (Banjul OIC Summit), to be held on May 4-5 in Banjul, Gambia.

The summit will shed light on the challenges facing OIC member countries, particularly the Palestinian cause, the situation of Muslim minorities in non-Islamic countries and economic and development cooperation between member States.

On the sidelines of this session, the FM will hold a set of bilateral meetings with the OIC Secretary General and many of his counterparts from Islamic countries.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Tunis: A working session was held, on Friday, between representatives of the Independent High Authority for Elections (French: ISIE) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad, as part of preparations for the forthcoming elections.

This meeting falls is part of implementing the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the ISIE and the Ministry in August 2023 on the coordination of material and logistical preparations for the various elections.

Field procedures related to the updating process of the electoral register of Tunisians abroad and the best ways to prepare for the forthcoming elections were also discussed during the working session.

The meeting was attended by ISIE President Farouk Bouasker, ISIE vice-president Naoufel Frikha, ISIE members Najla Abrougui, Aymen Boughattas, Mahmoud El Ouaer and Belkacem Ayachi, Director General of Consular Affairs Imed Torjmen and Head of Elections Abroad Rana Ammar.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Tunis: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad, expressed, on Friday, the commitment of Tunisian diplomacy to defend national interests, protect Tunisians abroad and provide them with necessary services.

In a statement issued by the foreign department on the National Day of Diplomacy which corresponds to the 68th Anniversary of the establishment of the ministry, the ministry added that the Tunisian diplomacy works on promoting Tunisia in various forums, particularly in terms of national sovereignty and independence of national decision-making.

The Tunisian diplomacy has successfully consolidated the foundations of independence as well as national development efforts by boosting cooperation with Arab and western countries, the same source said.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Tunis: Secretary of State to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad, Mounir Ben Rjiba, headed the Tunisian delegation participating in the 21st meeting of the Nordic-African Foreign Ministers, held on May 2 and 3 in Copenhagen, Denmark, under the theme “Multilateralism and Increasing Trade and Investment”.

During the meeting, the Secretary of State stressed the urgent need to accelerate the reform of the international governance system in order to respond to the changes taking place in the world and to achieve the necessary efficiency to establish peace, stability and security and to build a multilateral system that contributes to justice and development in all regions, especially on the African continent, according to a statement by the Foreign Ministry.

In this context, the Secretary of State called on the participating countries to step up their efforts to combat illicit financial flows, to help countries recover their looted funds abroad and to alleviate the debts of developing
countries, especially by transforming these debts into investments that benefit their peoples.

He also called for a reassessment of the role of credit rating agencies so that they do not become a barrier to developing countries’ access to international finance.

The Secretary of State called on the participants in this meeting to intensify efforts to achieve an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, to end the genocide of the Palestinian people, to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid, and to lift the unjust siege on the Palestinian people.

On the sidelines of his participation in the meeting, the Foreign Secretary held bilateral meetings with a number of Ministers and senior officials from countries including Libya, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iceland and Norway on ways to strengthen cooperation and partnership in the common interest.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Tunis: President of the National Union of Tunisian Journalists (SNJT), Zied Dabbar, deplored the prosecution of 39 journalists outside the framework of Decree-Law No. 2011-115 of November 2, 2011 relating to freedom of the press, printing and publishing.

«Journalists are not asking for immunity, they are asking for a law governing the profession of journalism,» Dabbar said during a press conference held, Friday, at the Union’s headquarters to present the annual report on the situation of press freedom in Tunisia.

In this report, published on the World Press Freedom Day, the SNJT warned against the increasing number of trials of journalists under repressive laws including the law relating to the fight against terrorism and the repression of money laundering, the Penal Code and even Decree 54.

The report adds that 211 assaults against journalists, correspondents and photographers were recorded between May 1, 2023 and April 30, 2024.

The SNJT president described the situation of journalists in Tunisia as “gl
oomy,” referring to the challenges they face while accessing information.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Tunis: The Reporters Without Borders (RSF) organisation on Friday called for the release of Tunisian journalists Mohamed Boughaleb and Chdha Ben Mbarek.

The Tunisian Constitution guarantees the protection of journalists and should be invoked to put an end to the arrests that threaten freedom of the press in Tunisia, RSF North Africa Representative Khaled Drareni told TAP on the sidelines of a press conference held in Tunis to present the 2024 World Press Freedom Index.

Tunisia has moved up 3 spots to 118th in this year’s index, against 121st in 2023, “however, this does not mean that the situation is improving,” he pointed out.

Tunisia had slipped 24 spots in 2023, he recalled, considering that “the situation is still worrying.”

“Tunisia used to be a country of hope, but today journalists no longer feel protected due to Decree-Law No54 of September 13, 2022 on combating offences related to information and communication systems,” the official indicated.

The RSF had denounced the drawing up and adoption of
this law which “institutionalise” the prosecution of journalists, Drareni further said.

At the international level, this year is notable for a clear lack of political will on the part of the international community to enforce the principles of protection of journalists, especially UN Security Council Resolution 2222, the RSF said.

“The war in Gaza has been marked by a record number of violations against journalists and the media since October 2023. More than 100 Palestinian reporters have been killed by the Israel Defence Forces, including at least 22 in the course of their work.

Occupied and under constant Israeli bombardment, Palestine is ranked 157th out of 180 countries and territories surveyed in the overall 2024 World Press Freedom Index, but it is ranked among the last 10 with regard to security for journalists

Drareni recalled that the RSF had filed two complaints with the International Criminal Court (ICC)- the first on October 31 and the second on December 22 – calling on the prosecutor to inves
tigate all Palestinian journalists killed by the Israeli army.

According to the World Press Freedom Index, Norway, is still in the lead.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Bobo-Dioulasso: The daily Sidwaya on Thursday praised Thomas Sanon, who has distinguished himself for more than 30 years, as one of its best readers in the economic capital of Burkina Faso.

On the morning of Thursday, May 2, 2024, a delegation from Éditions Sidwaya visited Thomas Sanon, a loyal reader of the Sidwaya newspaper for more than 30 years.

During this visit, the delegation expressed its gratitude to Mr. Sanon for his trust and loyalty in reading the state daily.

‘Your example is a source of motivation for us, when we know that there are people who read the Sidwaya newspaper every day,’ said the Sales and Marketing Director of Éditions Sidwaya, Moussa Congo, representing the General Director, Assétou Badoh.

According to him, it is very important to recognize the dedication of all readers and understand their motivations in order to better meet their needs.

Mr. Congo assured that all staff were committed to all projects to satisfy all readers.

Thomas Sanon, a retired SOFITEX agent, explained tha
t his love for reading began in his former service.

‘I went to the service one day and saw some newspapers on the table, I took them to look through them. Immediately, I saw that there was good information there,’ he suggested.

His subscription to the daily is due to the reliability of the information transmitted by the Sidwaya newspaper, said Mr. Sanon.

‘I chose Sidwaya to have true information, undoubtedly and on time,’ confides Mr. Sanon.

Despite the difficulties in getting around, he spares no effort to get his newspaper.

‘Since the 1990s, everything has been perfect, nothing could prevent the acquisition of the newspaper,’ says Mr. Thomas Sanon.

A digital system has been implemented to meet current requirements.

‘Éditions Sidwaya have developed other products such as Sidwaya digital, Sidwaya.info, Sidwaya mobile… to meet the needs of its readers,’ informed the sales and marketing director.

Thomas Sanon appreciated the innovation that was put in place and congratulated all the actors who worked on
this initiative.

To mark this visit, the delegation gave Mr. Sanon gifts consisting mainly of newspapers and kits. The retired Sofitex agent was delighted that the newspaper of all Burkinabè people had thought of him.

He encouraged the men and women who fight for the happiness of readers and wished good luck to Éditions Sidwaya.

Source: Burkina Information Agency

Members of the Steering Committee of the Project ‘Reduction of chronic malnutrition of children and capacity building of state actors and civil society for better resilience in the face of insecurity’, supported by the NGO HOPE’ 87, met on Thursday, May 2, 2024 in Orodara, to take stock of the state of implementation of the activities of the said Project.

The meeting was chaired by the Secretary General of the Kénédougou province, Bassanma Ko, representing the High Commissioner.

The Steering Committee was required to take stock of the state of implementation of the activities of this project in the two beneficiary municipalities, namely Kangala and Koloko.

According to the Project Manager, Apollinaire Sanou, the results are satisfactory.

‘Of 95% of the planned activities, these were all carried out. We are beyond the expected results,’ he suggested.

According to Mr. Sanou, for the moment, there are only two points left to perfect for implementation.

‘This is a budgetary advocacy plan for nutrition and
a capitalization workshop to see what could be added as added value in the fight against malnutrition,’ indicated the Project Manager.

Bassanma Ko, expressed his gratitude and recognition to the first leaders of HOPE’87, for the work they do on a daily basis in the field through achievements for the happiness of the populations of the communes of Kangala and Koloko and hence those from all over Kénédougou.

The NGO HOPE’87 has been established in Burkina Faso since 1994. It is implementing for the period from February 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024, the Project ‘Reduction of chronic malnutrition of children and strengthening the capacities of state actors and civil society for greater resilience in the face of food insecurity’, funded by the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation (BMZ).

The overall objective of this project is to reduce chronic malnutrition in very poor agricultural households with pregnant women and children aged 0 to 59 months in the communes of Kangala and Koloko in the province of Kénédougou
.

Source: Burkina Information Agency

The High Commissioner of the province of Léraba, in the Cascades region, Mahamadi Congo, chaired on Thursday May 3, 2024 in Sindou, the “act 16” of the solemn raising of the flag national. The ceremony took place at the Provincial Directorate in charge of Infrastructure of Léraba.

In order to promote and consolidate the spirit of citizenship and patriotism through the observation of citizen attitudes towards the symbols of the State, particularly the national colors, the first authorities of Léraba, initiated the solemn and rotating rise of the flag in the public structures and services of the province.

Launched on June 9, 2022 at the Léraba High Commission, the Provincial Directorate in charge of Infrastructure is the 16th public service to honor this tradition, this Thursday, May 2, 2024 in Sindou.

The first official of the province said he was satisfied with the enthusiasm and mobilization of department heads or provincial structures to achieve the targeted objective.

For Mahamadi Congo, it attracted
everyone’s attention to the numerous community conflicts that exist in the province.

‘I invite each of us to cultivate peace around us, to work together to ensure the development of this province for future generations,’ said the High Commissioner of Léraba.

Receiving the torch from the hands of the Provincial Director in charge of Infrastructure, Abou-drama Bado, the business manager of the project, Development and Development Program for the Léraba Plain (PAVAL), Solima Kaboré, undertakes to take the necessary arrangements to successfully complete the 17th act scheduled for next Thursday, June 6 within his department.

The ceremony ended after a guided tour of the premises of the Provincial Directorate in charge of Infrastructure of Léraba, by the participants.

Source: Burkina Information Agency

Bobo-Dioulasso: Retired university drama professor and director of the Burkinabè theater workshop, first general director of the SNC, Prosper Kompaoré is one of the artistic sponsors of the 21st edition of National Culture Week (SNC). In this interview, the retired university teacher gives a history lesson of the SNC that he saw born.

Sidwaya (S): A major player in the SNC since 1983, what is your view on the evolution of this cultural biennial?

Prospère Compaoré (PK) : The SNC is an event created in 1983. Today, it is really a feeling of satisfaction to see that the baby we saw born has evolved with his adolescent crises.

This baby has reached a certain stage of maturity with slightly brighter achievements and prospects. I participated in the first step in the creation of the SNC, but after me many other comrades took over and moved the event forward.

For our part, we were happy to see the first date of the SNC in Ouagadougou in December 1983. It was already something extraordinary.

You have to have exp
erienced it to understand to what extent the National Culture Week was something different from the cultural weeks that existed in the past.

It was a political desire to put culture at the heart of the concerns of the entire social body, those in charge and the authorities.

The year that followed, it was Gaoua who welcomed the SNC.

Gaoua was the SNC of all challenges. Getting there was quite a problem, the road was not passable, there was no infrastructure there, so we had to do everything.

It was necessary to make roads, develop an airport, build a performance hall, develop places to accommodate people, and more.

People were housed in containers. Everyone who was in the organization was driven by a sort of revolutionary desire, to ensure that the culture took new momentum.

This is why we were ready to accept a lot of sacrifices. We also defied a certain number of cultural problems, because we did not seek simplicity.

We wanted to cross the river with our festival-goers, we wanted to climb Young Pi hil
l with our festival-goers. To do all these things, we first had to have the blessing of the old people, so we had to respect our customs for the 2nd edition to take place.

The third challenge was to ensure that the thing did not appear as a sort of inter-ethnic competition, which is what the performing arts jury took up. This gave rise to some debates. So we explained to people that it was not a question of comparing, but rather of creating a certain number of criteria on the basis of which we could lead the different groups to progress and be competitive internationally.

Then, we participated in the 1st edition of the SNC in Bobo-Dioulasso in 1986. The new element of this edition was the contribution of masks.

Already, in 1983, there were masks, but in Bobo-Dioulasso, it was the big Boom! These masks came from different parts of our country.

At the level of the organization of the GPNAL (editor’s note Grand prix national des arts et des lettres), there was greater control of the data.

All this started f
rom the reflection which was carried out in 1985 on the evolution of the national culture week in Martoukou. HAS

After the SNC in 1986 in Bobo-Dioulasso, we found ourselves in 1988 in Koudougou and Réo.

We decided to organize concurrently in these two cities. There were still big challenges, what is interesting about the organization of the SNC is that each time, there is something new and a challenge.

In Koudougou, we were able to build the popular theater and we also created spaces for hosting events in Réo.

We commuted between these two cities, and it went very well. We had a night that we called the night of Burkinabè magic which raised a lot of expectations, but which did not live up to what we had hoped for.

Some of the traditional black magicians have not succeeded in mystifying us as we would have liked. But it also showed the diversity and richness of our culture. After Koudougou and Réo in 1988, it was SNC Bobo in 1990 where I handed over to another who took over.

Today, we are here and we see
that the SNC is starting to expand, to have a certain amount of space allocated, the support of artists during and perhaps after the SNC.

S: How do you assess the evolution of artistic performances?

PK: In terms of artistic performance, if it involves putting on plays, we have complete freedom to invent and innovate.

Regarding the representation of traditional dance and traditional artistic expression, there are a certain number of characteristics that must be safeguarded so that we can find in each of the performances the soul of the peoples who contributed to the emergence of forms of dance, songs and others. So much so that creation and innovation require know-how.

At this level, I would believe that in certain disciplines there has really been extraordinary progress. As proof, I want choreographic creation.

In terms of choreographic creation, we have very high quality shows. In terms of music it depends, there are groups that break through, that transcend and groups that are in the research phase.

I
n the field of dance, we have very beautiful ballets in young groups and in certain choreographic dances at adult level.

In terms of traditional dances, there is work to be done because we have thought about the cultural dimension of the different forms of dance steps in our societies.

We concluded that in each ethnic group, there was a prevalence of the value provided, either to the upper body, or to the lower body, or even to the rhythm of the body.

So, depending on this cultural reality, we can work to ensure that this is even better controlled. The dances that we called, the dances of strength and acrobatics, fully regain their justifications.

We must work on dances of grace and flexibility and have true representations of this aesthetic expression.

S: You are one of the artistic directors of SNC 2024. What does your role consist of?

PK: We do not have a special mission entrusted to us.

It is we who decide what we can provide as support, as reflection to the artists so that they can go even further
. The organizers have taken control of their activities.

The opening ceremony was of absolute professional mastery. We encourage them, because they do very good work.

We have very great professionals. As artistic director I bring my little moral and aesthetic support to everything that is done during the SNC.

Source: Burkina Information Agency

Ouagadougou: The Council of Ministers adopted, on Thursday April 25, 2024, a report relating to measures for the diligent implementation of school canteens as well as the acquisition of the minimum schoolbag on the resources transferred from the State to the communes.

According to the minutes of the government meeting, as of December 31, 2023, of the 336 municipalities benefiting from transferred resources, only 36 have actually acquired the food.

The same document indicates that ‘of these 36 municipalities, six (6) were able to receive the food before the start of the school year but none of them was able to make this food available to the schools’.

The intention of the Burkinabe executive is therefore to allow the department in charge of National Education to improve the governance of resources previously transferred from the minimum school bag and school canteens for the benefit of students and educational structures.

Concerning the specific case of school canteens, it is more than beneficial to consid
er resolving the issue of delays in distribution. Indeed, with the sometimes incomprehensible delays, we are completely missing the objectives sought through the establishment of school canteens.

These objectives are, among others, keeping students in school, improving academic results, and combating dropouts and other student losses.

However, even if the issue of delays could be resolved, many other challenges remain. These relate firstly to the quantity and quality of meals served to students.

In this regard, there is no shortage of complaints. Through social networks and/or the media, parents continue to denounce the form of meals served to their children.

Complaints also relate to certain destinations diverted from food. Some believe that with the complicity of certain teachers and school officials, delays would be orchestrated in order to divert the food initially intended only for students, for other purposes.

This is how actors other than students often share bags of rice and cans of oil from scho
ol canteens, to the detriment of the real recipients. Unfortunately.

Also, we remember, in mid-February, the press reported that a “large network of school rice fraudsters” was dismantled in Bobo-Dioulasso. The announcement was made by the National Anti-Fraud Coordination (CNLF). It was during a lively press conference on Thursday, February 15, 2024, in the town of Sya.

According to media reports which cite the coordinator of the CNLF, Yves Kafando, ‘the investigations made it possible to discover in a stock store in the town of Bobo-Dioulasso, 441 bags of 50 kg of rice intended for the canteen school, 901 empty bags stamped +LIZO+…’.

It must be recognized that such a diversion would be very difficult, if not impossible, without the complicity of actors in the management system.

We rightly need to keep our eyes open in the management of school canteens so as not to undermine the efforts of the State which works tirelessly to keep students in school, to improve academic results and against dropouts and oth
er student losses.

In short, the food intended for the students must reach them not only on time, but also in full. In other words and as if to paraphrase a biblical passage: ‘to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God’.

Source: Burkina Information Agency

Bobo-Dioulasso: The President of the Transitional Legislative Assembly, Dr. Ousmane Bougouma, visited the communities’ village on Wednesday, May 1, 2024 in Bobo Dioulasso.

Present in Bobo Dioulasso as part of the 21st edition of the National Culture Week (SNC), the President of the Transitional Legislative Assembly (ALT), Dr Ousmane Bougouma, accompanied by the Burkinabè and Nigerien ministers in charge of culture, visited the site housing the communities’ village.

On site, he toured the different exhibition stands.

‘In this village, we saw communities side by side. It is all cultural diversity that is expressed and which translates this richness which is the soul from which we can build social cohesion, lasting peace. It is the soul from which we can build a better world,’ suggested Dr Bougouma at the end of the visit.

He welcomed this initiative by the ministry in charge of culture to bring together communities in a village who share their know-how and see the similarities that exist between their cultu
res.

‘It is the expression of a cultural identity which reminds us that our predecessors fought for our country,’ he said.

According to the president of the ALT, it is the duty of the Burkinabè to inspire this, to mobilize the necessary resources to face adversity, and to build a country in peace and with a future.

He expressed his gratitude to the guest country of honor, Niger, which came with a strong delegation which exposed the potential in this village.

Previously, the delegation was in the army museum.

The president of the ALT said he was amazed at the evolution of the army in terms of war and combat, that is to say from bladed weapons to drones.

‘We have seen the effort of the army’s visual artists who, through paintings, summarize the effort of our fighting forces. The army, through this museum, in its way of expressing the bravery of the soldiers,’ he concluded while saluting the sacrifice of the Defense and Security Forces as well as the Volunteers for the defense of the party for the reconque
st of the territory.

Source: Burkina Information Agency