Reclaiming a Nation: UN Honors Courageous Efforts to Liberate Burkina Faso

The United Nations commemorated this Thursday, October 24, 2024, the 79th anniversary of the ratification of its Charter signed in 1945. The United Nations Program in Burkina celebrated this day through the theme: “Burkina Faso/United Nations: a new agreement for the future”. Press coffee was served to participants at the UNDP open day chaired by the Resident Coordinator in Burkina, Carol Flore Smereczniak.

The celebration of the 79th anniversary of the United Nations Day in Burkina Faso was an opportunity for this organization, which has been present since 1966, to take stock of its main projects in line with the government’s vision. As Carol Flore Smereczniak will point out, “our development programs, through the United Nations interim action plan for Burkina Faso, support the government’s efforts to achieve the objectives for sustainable development. These programs are linked to the structural adjustment and development plan of the transitional government of Burkina Faso”. Indeed, these programs focus on 4 pillars, namely: peace, people, the planet and prosperity. At the financial level, notes the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations, UNDP has mobilized in 2023, about 738.5 million USD or almost 445 billion FCFA out of a need of 1.14 billion USD. Also the UNDP plans the humanitarian aid of the United Nations through the humanitarian response plan which is developed every year based on data, needs and priorities expressed by the government. For 2024, there is a targeted need of 3.8 million people for a budget of 935 million USD, of which 39% has been secured. Carol Flore Smereczniak recently recalled the Future Summit at the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly. The objective of this summit, according to her, is twofold: to accelerate efforts to respect international commitments and to take concrete steps to meet new challenges and take advantage of new opportunities.
The 4 pillars of cooperation Peace, People, Planet and Prosperity
According to Abdoulahi Harouna, Coordinator of the United Nations Office on Drugs, peace is an axis of the United Nations’ cooperation with Burkina Faso. This pillar aims to strengthen institutional effectiveness, the rule of law, social cohesion, security and lasting peace. United Nations Children’s Fund Deputy Resident Representative, James Mugaju, gave an update on the people pillar. He emphasized that the aim of this pillar is to reduce social inequalities. Thanks to the actions of this column, 660 million children out of school or out of school have had the opportunity to continue their education. The aim of the planet pillar, developed by Antonio Salort-Pons, deputy director of the WFP, is to strengthen the ability to resist climate change. This pillar managed to generate 339.8 million USD out of a total need of 1735.2 million USD, a gap of 80%. The last pillar, prosperity, aims for better access to employment and improvement in production, social protection policies and strategies. For this pillar, 59.9 million USD could be mobilized for a need of 261.3 million USD, a gap of 77%.
Despite these difficulties, for Carol Flore Smereczniak, “we remain confident, together, in a spirit of collaboration based on unity between nations and good governance when implementing strategies to respond effectively to humanitarian needs, support the recovery of affected areas and community development. . Burkina Faso will be able to regain its previous stability and a new era of prosperity based on indigenous and sustainable solutions”.
Sure OUATTARA