Ouagadougou: opening of youth centre

France has reiterated its readiness to counter rising terrorism in Burkina Faso.

French Foreign Minister, and his Burkinabe counterpart Alpha Barry on Friday inaugurated La Ruche, a youth centre announced by Emmanuel Macron.

He gave a reassurance over the weekend in the capital Ouagadougou during a meeting with Burkinabe President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré to strengthen a joint anti-terrorism force in the Sahel.

French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Yves Le Drian, said the Centre is proof of France’s confidence in Burkinabe youth.

“This is the continuation of President Macron’s speech at the University of Ki-zerbo. France believes in the capacities of Burkinabe youth and demonstrates this by inaugurating this space, which is a place of creation, innovation and creation in the Burkina Faso of tomorrow.”

The youth centre is expected to fuse young talents, digital start-ups and the French higher education offer, as the first step towards containing terrorism in the West African country which has suffered recurrent jihadist attacks since March 2015.

Le Drian and his Burkinabe counterpart Alpha Barry said the youth centre is a delivered promise French President Emmanuel Macron made during his visit to Ouagadougou.

Three attacks have hit the capital, Ouagadougou, in two years. The most recent in March targeted staff of the armies and the French Embassy in Ouagadougou.