Burkina Faso Advances CBRN Preparedness with the Support of the European Union

Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso – 2025

High-Level Launch of Burkina Faso’s CBRN National Action Plan

On 29 October 2025, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted a visibility and promotion event for Burkina Faso’s CBRN National Action Plan (NAP). The ceremony brought together high-level representatives from the national government, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Karamoko Traoré, and officials from the Ministries of Security, Health, Justice, Environment, Defence, and more.

Key participants included:

• Ms. Yolanda San Jose, Head of Cooperation, EU Delegation
• Colonel Major Boukari Baggna, CBRN National Focal Point
• Julie Busch-Salomone, UNICRI Regional Coordinator for North Africa and the Sahel
• Youcef Hemimou, On-Site Assistance Expert, UNICRI

The event highlighted the strong collaboration between Burkina Faso and the EU CBRN CoE Initiative. Presentations outlined the NAP’s objectives, implementation roadmap, and the technical support provided by UNICRI and other partners. 

H.E. Traoré reaffirmed Burkina Faso’s commitment to advancing national CBRN capacities and acknowledged the EU’s crucial support in enhancing preparedness, resilience, and regional security.

Read more on the European Union Delegation to Burkina Faso X account. 

National Training Workshop on Biological and Chemical Waste Management

Earlier in the year, from 22 to 25 April 2025, Burkina Faso hosted a four-day training workshop as part of Project 91, implemented by GIZ under the EU CBRN CoE Initiative. This fourth national session on training-of-trainers for hazardous biological and chemical waste management aimed to equip national experts with practical skills to safely handle, store, and dispose of hazardous materials.

Download Project 91 Factsheet.

Participants benefited from hands-on sessions and a site visit to the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Tengandougou, observing biomedical waste collection, segregation, storage, and incineration practices.

The workshop was supported by:

• M. Soumaila Koné, National CBRN Focal Point
• Colonel Boukari Baggna, CBRN National Team
• Trainers: Pr Paul Sawadogo and M. Abdourahamane Salambéré

Trained experts will replicate and adapt these sessions within their respective institutions, ensuring sustainable national capacity. Future workshops in partner countries will expand training on autoclave and incinerator procurement and maintenance.

A Shared Commitment to CBRN Safety

Together, these events reflect Burkina Faso’s ongoing efforts to strengthen national CBRN preparedness, enhance technical capacities, and reinforce regional and international cooperation. With the support of the European Union, Burkina Faso is actively building a safer and more resilient environment for its citizens and neighbouring countries.