Ouagadougou: The President of Burkina Faso, Head of State, Captain Ibrahim TRAOR€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬°, chaired the weekly Council of Ministers meeting this Friday, where several reports were adopted and important decisions were made for the socio-economic development of the country. During a press briefing, Minister and Government Spokesperson, Pingdwend© Gilbert OUEDRAOGO, announced the adoption of a decree establishing mandatory patriotic immersion for students who have passed school exams.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the decree is part of the Presidential Initiative for Quality Education for All, specifically its 7th component which focuses on organizing school discipline and cleanliness. This initiative aims to instill civic and patriotic values, along with self-defense reflexes, through theoretical, physical, and sports training. It targets students admitted to the Brevet d’©tudes du premier cycle (BEPC), Certificat d’aptitude professionnel (CAP), and the Baccalaur©at.
Minister Pingdwend© Gilbert OUEDRAOGO stated that the immersion program is designed to create responsible citizens and patriots who will positively contribute to the nation’s development and the rebuilding of Burkinabe society. The pilot phase, beginning this year, will involve students who pass the Baccalaureate exams, with details on duration and modalities to be specified by decree.
On the economic front, the Council of Ministers also reviewed a report from the Ministry of Economy and Finance concerning a multi-year budgetary and economic programming document for 2026-2028. Minister of Economy and Finance, Aboubakar NACANABO, emphasized the importance of this document in aligning national planning with global and regional economic trends.
The document outlines priorities such as territorial reconquest, food self-sufficiency, road infrastructure development, human capital enhancement, industry revival, and good governance. Minister NACANABO highlighted that favorable international economic conditions, including high gold prices and falling oil prices, have been considered in its preparation.
The Council recognized significant progress in mobilizing internal resources, noting an increase from 3,000 billion FCFA in 2024 to 3,200 billion FCFA in 2025, with a projection of 3,500 billion FCFA in 2026. This positive trend is attributed to reforms like the digitalization of recovery procedures and land management. The government plans to prioritize the collection and optimization of property taxes in 2026.