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Local authorities
Communication, democracy, and civil society
The dialectics of reality and image in Burkina
Faso. The ongoing democratisation process; the growing influence of civil
society; the dissemination of new technologies, and the significance of
cultural events, such as the Pan African Film Festival (FESPACO). Interview
with the Mayor of the town of Yako, Edouard Kouka Nanema.
edited by Honoré Yao Assouman
Has
the image of Burkina Faso, and of Africa more in general, changed recently
and how, and what is the nature of this change? Considering Western and
African countries (self-representation) – and Burkina Faso in particular
–, I am referring to the mass-media, and the representations people
form in their mind based on their education, literature, the actors involved
in co-operation, etc.
When thinking of the African situation and especially of
wars that mainly affect Western and
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Citizen's partecipation for
Gacaca Campaign (popular election of community tribunal in Rwanda)
Source: JHU/CCP, Photoshare, 2001 |
Central Africa - as is the case with the Democratic Republic
of Congo, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone -, people tend to believe that the
whole of the continent is at war. As a matter of fact, despite what happens
in the sub-region or elsewhere, several countries have been striving to
achieve stability and economic development for the good of their peoples.
From this standpoint, we can say that Burkina Faso is
a case apart. Since 1991, my country has had a democratic regime
with democratic institutions, such as a Parliament with its members;
local authorities with elected bodies and mayors. Clearly, this system
relies on legal institutions such as the Courts. In Burkina Faso, there
are high Courts, such as the Council of State, the Supreme Court of Auditors,
the Constitutional Court, and a number of other institutions which deliver
a situation where citizens are able to exert their rights
or in any case see their rights guaranteed. As regards local governments,
Yako is a small town with 18,535 inhabitants, 27 elected councillors who
in turn elect a Mayor and two Deputy-Mayors, as well as the members of
the Development Committees. This allows us to identify a guideline for
the town’s development. Going back to your more general question
on Burkina Faso, we should bear in mind that the Pan-African Film Festival,
FESPACO, and the International African Arts Trade Show (SIAO) have won
this country world renown. All this has created the specific conditions
that characterise Burkina Faso – a country firmly committed to ensuring
better living standards for its citizens.
Why this change?
A democratisation process in the first
place. You will probably agree that if people are given the opportunity
to express their ideas – and I mean above all people at the basic
level, as a local government is a basic community within a national community
–, if people elect their own representatives at
a given Council, they can express their will through these representatives.
Therefore, it is at this level that in Burkina Faso, and notably in my
own area, a change has occurred through which people – i.e., at
the basic level – can express their will through their democratically
elected representatives. It would be appropriate to say that democracy
is a cornerstone, and a major drive for change. This is a first formal
level, as Mayors have the power to convene general meetings in each district;
in such meetings, people gather together, ’take the floor’,
and speak freely. This way, citizens are given the opportunity
to be actively involved in the definition of the kind of development they
want for their own area.
Do stereotypes still exist about Burkina
Faso and Africa more in general?
Stereotypes are the result of the international
situation in which we live. It is generally assumed that tensions
and wars affect every African country, and that for this reason many African
countries deny freedom of speech, the press there is gagged, and journalists
have no say. I am not going to say that Burkina Faso has never experienced
such a situation. You may recall, in fact, journalist Norbert Zongo’s
regrettable assassination, which was for some time a sort of millstone
round the neck of this country where today the climate for democracy is
nevertheless very encouraging.
A more up-to-date image of the country
is being circulated. What aspects of present-day life in Burkina Faso
are worth publicising?
Undoubtedly, Burkina Faso’s most noteworthy aspect
is the courage characterising our
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Poster of last production of
the Panafrican Cinema Festival
Source: FESPACO official site
(www.fespaco.bf),
2003 |
people. You are certainly aware that Burkina
Faso is an enclave, and I believe that, of all the countries in this sub-region,
this is currently the only one having a genuinely functioning administration,
with the evident presence of an organised State. All this is tangible,
and is our distinctive feature. Elsewhere in our sub-region, laxity is
widespread, public officers are corrupt; the administration looks non-existent,
and no one appears to be firmly holding the reins of the situation. This
is not an image one should form of Burkina Faso; the
right image should be that of a country with a responsible people, a well-structured
administration, a fairly well functioning government, which creates
the conditions required for development. Speaking of development,
one of the most noteworthy aspects is agriculture –
an area in which efforts to harness our potential are not spared. For
instance, thanks to state-of-the-art techniques, all the country’s
water points are adequately harnessed, and this fuels hopes.
Through such systems suited to our people’s degree of technologic
development, it is possible to grow non-seasonal commodities in areas
surrounding water points, with good prospects of a growth in production.
This also applies to cattle-farming. This means that, as long as there
are several water points, food self-sufficiency will cease to be utopian
for our people.
To what extent can Burkina Faso’s international image influence
co-operation policies?
I feel that, thanks to the degree of stability we
have achieved –something that has been lasting for a few
decades now – development partners look with interest at Burkina
Faso. As a result, there are no problems as far as international bilateral
co-operation is concerned. In any case, we have excellent relations with
a number of countries, notably with development partners such as the World
Bank, UNPD, BAD, and a number of institutions such as FAO, etc.
What is your opinion about the connection
existing between Burkina Faso’s image and facilities for foreign
investment?
As I said, in our country there are effective institutions
which promote pluralism – there is a Parliament with representatives
from different political parties. Burkina Faso can therefore be described
as a democratic country, with institutions which ensure freedom of circulation.
For this reason, investors are surely welcome, as they know that our country
is secure as long as they invest in profitable sectors. I mean foreign
investors are given sufficient guarantees. You will be certainly aware
that Burkina Faso is part of a sub-region, WEMOA, that is governed by
clear rules designed as a guarantee to all investors, and this does not
apply to Burkina Faso alone, but also to the sub-region as a whole.
Which actors most help “build” your country’s image
or may help do so, whether in a positive or negative way? (For instance,
a negative role Africans themselves are likely to play).
Burkina Faso stands out at international level
thanks to the arrangement of global events on a two-yearly basis, such
as SIAO, and FESPACO. The latter alone, which is due next week, helps
make Burkina Faso more widely known abroad. Not less important, CAN, the
African junior Football Championship was recently held. All these events
have been a real success. I therefore believe that a small country
like this, which proves able to organise such events smoothly, really
deserves praise. The sole aspect which in my opinion is likely to dim
Africa’s image as a whole is the lack of freedom
of speech. This is not our case, however, as, as I said, through
a pluralism of expressions and multipartitism, we have been able to create
the potential that enables everyone to legitimately express one’s
ideas.
What is your opinion on co-operation
between Local Governments and civil society (circumstances, actors, instruments,
potential)?
Our Local Government is part of a pool of Local Governments
that have structured
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Participants at the Polular Forum to promote accountability
in governance in Nigeria
Source: JHU/CCP, Photoshare |
themselves in the framework of AMBF (Association
of Municipalities in Burkina Faso) that includes all the country’s
municipalities. We are full members of that association. The municipality
of Yako is made up of 7 districts, each one represented at the Town Council
by three Councillors directly elected by people from all ranks of society
living in each district. How does a dialogue with civil society occur?
Not only does each Councillor represent all citizens from a district;
the Town Council arranges periodical meetings with a few organised
groups who wish to be informed about the Local Government’s
activities. For instance, the Council’s meetings are open to everyone;
discussions are public. This means that anyone can attend, whether a member
of a political party or of a development association. For important decisions,
however, the Council makes sure that associations are informed. This is
done through the Council Office – a permanent body that on certain
occasions gets citizens involved. When I was appointed Mayor, I told all
citizens that development was not merely a matter
for town councillors, but for the entire local population,
and that it was therefore necessary to ensure the involvement of Yako’s
executive cadres and economic operators who do not live in the area, but
for example in Ouagadougou, in Burkina Faso or elsewhere - who are the
diaspora abroad. In short, it was necessary to get everyone involved in
the development of the local plan. Each councillor was therefore asked
to arrange meetings at village or district level to identify the needs
of each district. Later on, we provided a summary of those meetings, and
more partners were convened, i.e., State services, in particular the Ministries
of Education, Health, Agriculture, NGOs, and the associations to
let them know the needs of the citizens from each district. We
urged them to look at those needs in the light of each Ministry’s
available means and objectives, and work towards the requirements voiced
by people at basic level. We have already had a meeting with all these
actors. I welcomed the fact that people were able to express their opinions,
and told officers from the various Ministries that it would be appropriate
for their opinions to be complemented by those of Yako’s citizens
who do not live in this area. More general meetings were arranged during
which it was decided to establish a few commissions to develop data emerged
locally, and, above all, to set up a fund to support the Town Council’s
efforts, and underpin the development plan which everyone was asked to
consider in depth. This is how all parties took part in the definition
of the local development plan.
What is your opinion about the role of
the new information and communication technologies in the area of international
co-operation and development, in particular for Burkina Faso?
Though it is claimed otherwise, and notwithstanding our
poverty, we try not to live at the margins of global trends.
Today it is generally said that, thanks to new technologies, the world
has virtually become a global village, and therefore those who self-marginalise
stay out and are not able to follow the general trend. As far as our Local
Government is concerned, we use computers not only to issue Public Registry
certificates requested by our citizens, but also to get connected to the
web; keep ourselves up-to-date; get in touch with the rest of the world
and understand what is happening in the other side of our planet; learn
good practices from other Local Governments from both the Northern and
Southern parts of the world. Through these means, we are also able to
entertain relations with out foreign partners. Yako has
been twinned with a French town we are in touch with through the
Internet which we find to be the fastest and cheapest way, given
the limited size of our funds. Just two days ago, for instance, I received
a delegation of friends from the province of Turin – the Deputy-Mayor
of Moretta, a small town in Piedmont that would like to establish relations
with Yako. Therefore, a delegation arrived, and they are still working
here. We are going to start internet relations with our Italian friends
as well.
Can you take stock of the relations between
Burkina Faso and your diaspora? (situation and potential for the country’s
development).
There is a Council for our citizens abroad at Burkina
Faso’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This department has
responsibility for the interests of all Burkinabe citizens living abroad.
It invites diaspora representatives to attend meetings in the country
on a regular basis. Currently, a few members of the diaspora are also
members of a third institution – the Economic and Social Council
– where they decide the future of the country; they attend the Council’s
meetings and provide their support for development. I believe people in
Burkina Faso are aware of the importance of Burkinabe people abroad; also,
they are aware of the leading role they can play. For instance, for the
Ouaga 2000 Project concerning the building of a modern town in Ouagadougou,
we turned to the citizens of diaspora who plan to invest
in Burkina Faso and want to buy a plot of land in Ouaga 2000 to maintain
ties with their land. We have done so, and urged them to invest, with
a view to keeping them interested in the future of their country.
Translation: Rita Bandinelli
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EDOUARD KOUKA NANEMA
Edouard Kouka Nanema is
the mayor of the city of Yako, in Passoré Region (Burkina Faso)
where he was born in 1946. He was Head of the Office for the Studies within
of the Ministry of Domestic Affairs and Security, Director for Social
Affairs of the Ministry of Public Health, General Secretary of the Department
of Hauts Bassins, President of the Special Delegation of the Municipality
of Bobo Dioulasso. Then he was the Prefect of the Department of the Centre
North Kaya and of Department of the Centre Ouagadougou, Director of Political
Affairs of the Ministry for Domestic Affairs and President of “Fonds
d’Indemnisation Financière des Personnes Réhabilités”
of the “Ministère de la Fonction Publique”. Mr. Nanema
has dealt with social issues as Director of National World Relief, an
American NGO.
A CRUCIAL MISUNDERSTANDING
I think that one of the most deeply-rooted stereotypes
about Africa (also common among educated people) is the idea of Africa
as a “basically” rural continent. Notwithstanding
numerous historic, demographic, and sociological evidence that urban
reality is an integral part of African tradition, as well as
of present-day life, still this stereotype is quite widespread. This is
also due to a few misunderstandings that on certain occasions we Africans
ourselves inadvertently help disseminate, notably in intercultural relations.
For instance, it is quite common for an Ivorian living abroad (as I am)
to use the term “village” when speaking of
his own native town, even though, as in my case, the “village”
is Toumodi and has 30,000 inhabitants, with its own town council, administrative
offices, postal services, schools, health services, shops, etc. In many
cases, this term even stands for what is in fact a large city.
Historian Sékéné Mody Cissoko has
shown that in most West African languages – with the exception of
Soninke and Yoruba languages – there is no such term as
'town' to describe something different from a village; a town
is often described as a “large village”. Furthermore, many
peoples are certainly aware of the existence of urban realities, but these
are mainly perceived as a development or expansion of a village. In intercultural
relations, this may easily lead to misunderstandings
and a (certainly unintentional but still true) concealment
of urban reality. To me as an Ivorian, the term
“village” has a number of connotations. It stands
for my origin; the place where one's visions of the world are formed;
the meeting point between tradition and modernity – in short, a
meaningful and vital point of reference. The fact is,
even when such meanings are expressed by individuals from large cities
such as Rome or Abidjan (that has 3,000,000 inhabitants), a linguistic
and cultural mechanism is automatically set off, leading an external observer
to simply associate such meanings with a rural reality. In this case as
well, understanding, distinguishing and signifying phenomena cannot but
benefit Africa's image.
Honoré Yao Assouman
Translation: Rita Bandinelli
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