In Burkina Faso, the President of the Transition, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, signed a decree last Friday announcing that monitoring and development committees will replace the village councils set up in 2006.
These civil and apolitical organizations, whose remit is defined in Article 5, must promote “citizen action” and contribute to the defense of the territory.
Other missions of these organizations, as described in the decree, are to contribute to living together, participate in the implementation of state projects and ensure sound governance.
The Burkinabe Minister of Territorial Administration was asked about this a few weeks ago and assured that the members of these organizations do not carry weapons.
Membership of these organizations is based on voluntary work and inhabitants wishing to join them must not be members of a political party or a candidate in an election.
The creation of these committees emerged last December during a meeting between Captain Ibrahim Traoré and civil society organizations.