BURKINA FASO REGIONAL PROGRAM BI-WEEKLY REPORT April 20 May 03, 2019

The program has 20 cleared activities totaling $644,643 and 47 activities pending totaling $400,479. Adaptation Training for Business Owners in the Nord Region is a key initiative. The Nord region is experiencing an increase in violent extremist organization (VEO) presence and economic instability. In response, BFRP, through a local NGO with expertise in market assessments, conducted a training to respond to market disruptions. The training identified successful business owners, or "positive deviant" merchants, who continue to operate despite the worsening security situation. Twenty-five business owners, including nine women, received a week-long training on best practices, such as managing small businesses, facing income drops, and identifying honest and legal funding sources. A training participant noted, "I realized that given the security situation and the current drop in market opportunities, I need to diversify my activities to be more resilient." Cohesion Caravan in Sahel is another key initiative. The caravan aimed to respond to the deterioration of social cohesion in the Sahel region, where repeated attacks and limited government response contribute to an elevated atmosphere of distrust and suspicion. BFRP worked with a local organization to conduct a caravan visiting villages that have received repeated attacks/threats from VEOs. The caravan highlighted the need to preserve peace and cohesion in the face of violent extremism, involving morning and afternoon sessions with local authorities and community leaders, and cultural activities such as theater plays, arts, and traditional dances. Participants noted a renewed sense of normalcy and a sense of unity, with one participant stating, "These [VE] groups take advantage of our divisions to oppose us [...] in this context, it is only through social cohesion that we will be stronger and overcome the violence." Between May 20 and June 3, forces from Burkina Faso and French-led Operation Barkhane conducted a major operation out of Dori, along the Dori-Arbinda axis and further into the extreme north of Soum and Oudalan provinces. An air-ground operation near N'Daki (Gourma) in Mali was also carried out, killing about ten militants, according to officials. Support from French forces to Burkina was put on hold after an interview given by Burkinabe Minister of Defense to the Guardian newspaper on suspicions around what he termed "France's hidden agenda." Dialogue continues between the two sides, and any updates will be provided in the next reporting period. Increasing Efforts to Strengthen the Resilience of Youth is a key focus area for BFRP. In the Sahel region, VEOs are targeting youth from communities, listing their names and actively seeking them out. Several young people have fled their villages to avoid forced recruitment. BFRP is currently programming activities to reduce social fragmentation with respect to the poor intergenerational communication exploited by VEOs in their recruitment efforts. Additionally, BFRP is engaged with locals to provide support to those forced to flee from forced recruitment and gain a better understanding of the techniques and methods VEOs are using.