On October 6, 2026, the Minister of Communication, Culture, Arts, and Tourism, Pingdwendé Gilbert Ouédraogo, held a meeting with the public at the Pavillon Soleil Levant in SIAO as part of the government exhibition for the 3rd edition of the National Days of Patriotic Engagement and Citizenship Participation (JEPPC). The event allowed the public to hear about the achievements of his department and directly ask questions on various sectors.
The meeting was part of the government exhibition, which aimed to provide a platform for accountability on government actions, reforms, and projects. The Minister presented the accomplishments and reforms undertaken by his department since September 30, 2022. He highlighted the merger of several ministerial departments in 2022, resulting in his current department, which comprises 2,450 agents, 13 regional directions, 45 provincial directions, and 10 public establishments.
During his presentation, the Minister discussed various sectors, including communication and media, culture and arts, and tourism. He emphasized the government's strategy for communication during times of war and initiatives to enhance the production of audiovisual content and information for the population. The Minister also addressed the situation of private media, assuring that the government is not trying to "silence or stifle the voice of private media."
The Minister mentioned that over 1.6 billion CFA francs have been allocated to support private media since 2022. He also presented measures for protecting cultural heritage, including the institutionalization of the National List of Cultural Heritage, the classification of cultural assets, and the inscription of the Royal Court of Tiébélé in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The Minister's presentation extended to the arts sector, where he discussed measures to support artists, including a proposed social protection mechanism and a reflection on their social security. He emphasized that artists are also workers who deserve protection. The public also raised questions on concerns affecting artists, the promotion of Burkinabé music, and media practices.
The promotion of Burkinabé music was also addressed, with the Minister calling for greater promotion of national musical productions and encouraging leisure spaces to prioritize Burkinabé works. The economic situation of artists was also discussed, with the Minister citing the payment of copyrights by the Burkinabé Copyright Bureau (BBDA), which has paid nearly 13 billion CFA francs to artists between 2022 and 2025.
The Minister also addressed the tourism sector, highlighting the adoption of application texts for the tourism orientation law and the expansion of the regulatory framework to various types of tourist establishments. He reported controls on villas and meublés, which have led to closures and fines for those not in compliance. The Minister encouraged the public to choose establishments that are in rule when seeking accommodation.
Key points
- The Burkinabé government allocated over 1.6 billion CFA francs to support private media since 2022.
- The Minister proposed a social protection mechanism for artists.
- Nearly 13 billion CFA francs in copyrights were paid to artists between 2022 and 2025.
