The Prime Minister of Burkina Faso, Rimtalba Jean-Emmanuel Ouédraogo, is expected in Mali’s capital, Bamako, this week for the second edition of the Mali Citizen Brigade Camp, scheduled from August 19 to 22, 2025.
He will attend at the invitation of his Malian counterpart, General Abdoulaye Maïga.
Organized by Mali’s Ministry of Youth and Sports, which oversees Civic Education and Citizenship Development, the camp seeks to mobilize young people around the principles of citizenship, solidarity, and civic engagement.
The programme will include a Brigadier Day, interactive learning workshops, and hands-on civic activities aimed at fostering community participation.
Alongside the camp, Ouédraogo and Maïga are scheduled to co-chair a working session with their respective delegations.
Discussions are expected to focus on strengthening bilateral cooperation, as well as reviewing regional and international geopolitical issues affecting West Africa.
Since its launch in 2023, the Citizen Brigade initiative has engaged thousands of young people across Mali, including in Bamako, Nioro, and Koutiala.
Activities have ranged from public health campaigns and educational initiatives to environmental protection and drug awareness programmes.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports, led by Abdoul Kassim Fomba, has integrated the initiative into a broader framework that includes the Mali National Pioneers Camp and the National Volunteer Policy.
The visit of the Burkinabe Prime Minister underscores an active diplomatic effort by Ouédraogo since his appointment in 2024.
He has held multiple bilateral meetings within the West African Economic and Monetary Union and the Alliance of Sahel States.
His tenure has also included field visits, notably to Fada N’Gourma to meet wounded soldiers, signalling a governance approach rooted in solidarity and civic responsibility.
This trip to Bamako is being framed as a further step in deepening Mali–Burkina Faso relations, while placing young people at the centre of civic and patriotic engagement, reflecting a broader regional effort to cultivate responsible citizenship among the next generation.
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