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Burkina Faso

DCAF works with a wide set of partner institutions in Burkina Faso to support national reform processes in the area of security sector governance. To that end, we facilitate expertise to strengthen efforts towards greater compliance with the principles of good governance, gender, and the rule of law.

We do so in accordance with the priorities of partners ranging from the National Assembly to human rights organisations, the Burkinabè armed forces, financial oversight institutions and ombuds institutions, through to civil society and media actors.

Read our factsheet to get an overview of DCAF's work in Burkina Faso.

 

 

 

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Photo: Olympia de Maismont
 
Each member of society has the right – even the obligation – to play one’s part in security sector governance to help build up the country.
Ali Traoré, Director of GRASH, a civil society partner of DCAF

Workstreams/Projects

DCAF has been active in Burkina Faso since 2014 through a wide range of activities to consolidate greater accountability of the national armed forces. Since 2019, generous financial support from Denmark and Norway has enabled DCAF to accompany the ongoing security sector reform process through the adoption of improved policies, practices and behaviours.
 

Like other countries in the Sahel, citizens in Burkina Faso are facing mounting insecurity as a result of violent extremism. Efforts by the national defence and security forces to combat security threats entail the risk of indiscriminate violence. This has resulted in demands for enhanced accountability of security sector institutions to avoid impunity and an escalation of violence.

As Burkina Faso passes through a critical period of political transition, DCAF continues to work through various institutional channels to ensure compliance of security sector institutions with principles of good governance. 

Among DCAF’s diverse range of activities in Burkina Faso, the following may be highlighted:

  • Contribution to greater accountability in resource management within the armed forces. This was materialized by a series of trainings, which led to the conduct of a financial audit of the army by the specialized oversight bodies. 
  • Support to the Ombudsman (Médiateur du Faso) in her outreach efforts towards communities, especially in the area of civil-military collaboration. This collaboration has resulted in public hearings held in Kaya, Centre-North. 
  • Dissemination of information about good security governance through a series of radio debates and conferences targeted especially at youth and civil society.
     

Listen to our SSR Adviser in Burkina Faso, Sadou Sidibé, shedding light on the major challenges facing security sector reform in the country, and outlining the steps taken by DCAF to enhance cooperation in the field of SSR/G:

Watch the French version

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 


 

 


 

 

PUBLICATIONS

Contacts

Sadou Sidibé, National SSR Advisor, Sub-Saharan Africa Division (s.sidibe@dcaf.ch)

Valentin Wagee, Project Officer, Sub-Saharan Africa Division (v.wagee@dcaf.ch)

Jolie-Ruth Morand, Principal Programme Manager, Sub-Saharan Africa Division  (j.morand@dcaf.ch)

Anne Bennett, Head of Sub-Saharan Africa Division (a.bennett@dcaf.ch)