Burkina Faso and the United Nations Review the Achievements of the Peacebuilding Fund

The second ordinary session of the year 2023 of the Joint Steering Committee (JSC) of the Projects of the Burkina Faso Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) was held this Thursday, December 7th, 2023 in Ouagadougou.

Co-chaired by the Minister in charge of the economy, represented by his chargé de mission, Adama Ilboudo, and the interim resident coordinator of the United Nations system in Burkina Faso, Alain Akpadji, the aim of this session is to assess the progress made in implementing the projects in the portfolio, and to examine and guide programming for 2024.

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As part of its support for the Sahel Emergency Program in Burkina Faso (PUS-BF), Burkina has received financial backing from the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) of the United Nations System (UNS) to implement projects

The PUS-BF has been implemented by the Burkina Faso government since 2017 with the aim of improving the security situation and reducing the vulnerability of the population in areas with high security challenges. It is also aligned with the transition priorities defined in the Action Plan for Stabilization and Development (PASD), which highlighted the need to accentuate not only the urgent security and humanitarian response, but also the building of the foundations for resilience and the recovery of affected populations through realistic and achievable actions.

To ensure that these projects are properly implemented in the field and that objectives are met, in line with the fund’s operating guidelines, a strategic monitoring mechanism has been set up in the form of the Joint Steering Committee (CCO) for PBF projects, a body responsible for strategic guidance and decision-making. It is within the framework of this institutional monitoring mechanism that the present CCO session is being held.

The aim of this session is to take stock of the progress made in implementing the projects in the portfolio, and to examine and guide programming for 2024

Specifically, it will review the implementation status of Peacebuilding Fund portfolio projects as at December 31, 2023, examine the orientation of new PBF projects for the 2023 financial year, and examine the proposed revision of the composition of the Peacebuilding Fund portfolio CCO.

The areas of intervention of PBF projects are mainly the improvement of trust between populations and the State, the strengthening of social resilience and the active participation of women and young people, the peaceful management of conflicts, the fight against radicalization and violent extremism, the reform of the security sector, national reconciliation, etc.

Eligible since 2017, Burkina Faso has already benefited from the fund’s support through the financing of various projects to the tune of over 31 billion FCFA. To date, the active portfolio of 13 projects amounts to more than 18 billion FCFA. The 2023 work plan, with a total budget of around 7 billion FCFA, has seen 58% physical execution and 66% financial execution as of November 15, 2023. Burkina Faso’s eligibility for the Peacebuilding Fund has been extended to 2025.

According to Alain Akpadji, interim resident coordinator of the United Nations system in Burkina Faso, despite a context dominated by security, humanitarian and socio-economic challenges, projects financed by the PBF have contributed to improving the working conditions of the FDS, thanks to the rehabilitation of 10 border posts, provided more than 10,000 people with access to drinking water thanks to 6 water points, offered more than 4,500 women and young people the opportunity to express themselves and participate in their communities through civic initiatives, raised awareness among millions of listeners through radio programs on social cohesion, etc.

Alain Akpadji praised “the key role played by regional and provincial authorities, decentralized technical services and CSOs in overcoming certain challenges and continuing to implement projects based on a principle of flexibility and permanent consultation between all players.

For the interim resident coordinator of the United Nations system, Burkina Faso will remain a priority country for Peacebuilding Fund, even if the global funding environment will inevitably lead to a reduction in PBF allocations to Burkina Faso in 2024. He reassures us that the United Nations as a whole will continue to support Burkina Faso’s efforts to achieve lasting peace.

Adama Ilboudo, representing the Minister of the Economy at this session, indicated that the CCO’s orientations must be closely correlated with the transition’s current priorities, namely strengthening the economic resilience of the population, particularly young people and women, humanitarian support and support for the resettlement of local administrations following the operations to reconquer the territory undertaken by the Defense and Security Forces (FDS) and the Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland (VDP).

“For the transition authorities, this fund is very important, because it is strategically aligned with the transition priorities defined in the PASD. Then there are the actions that have been carried out this year alone. We have programmed 275 activities, 181 of which have been carried out for the benefit of populations in zones facing major security challenges”, explains Adama Ilboudo.

On behalf of the Minister of the Economy, he expressed the government’s gratitude to all partners, particularly the agencies of the United Nations system in Burkina Faso, for the attention they pay to Burkina Faso in its daily quest for peace and social and economic development.

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(Featured image by Jonathan Meyer via Unsplash)

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First published in lefaso.net. A third-party contributor translated and adapted the article from the original. In case of discrepancy, the original will prevail.

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